canfitpro Official Magazine | September/October 2023

FITNESS & MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE

MEET THE 2023 FITNESS

PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR AWARD

September/October 2023

Chief Operating Officer

Maureen Hagan mohagan@canfitpro.com

Director of Operations

Michael O’Neil moneil@canfitpro.com

Director of Business Growth

Robert Robinson rrobinson@canfitpro.com

Managing Editor Erin Andersen eandersen@canfitpro.com

Graphic Designer Imran Mahmood, imahmood@canfitpro.com

Certification Experience Manager Daniela Goode Thomas, dgoodethomas@canfitpro.com

Senior Account Manager, B2B Sales Bill Loker, bloker@canfitpro.com

Member Experience Manager Fatima Sunga, fsunga@canfitpro.com

Unlocking the Power of Mental Fitness: A Game-Changer for Fitness Professionals

In the dynamic fitness world, where physical prowess is often prioritized, we sometimes forget that our mental fitness and well-being are foundational to physical achievements. As we recognize World Mental Health Day on October 10th, we invite you to explore the benefits of mental fitness for your personal well-being and as a game-changer for your business. It is essential to recognize mental fitness is not just a response to adversity; it is a proactive approach to elevate your business. Incorporating mental fitness into training programs can transform your client relationships. By addressing mental well-being and customizing workout plans to meet individual physical and mental fitness levels and abilities, you create holistic approaches to health that resonate with your clients and set you apart as a caring and inclusive professional. This deeper connection can improve retention rates, referrals, and long-term growth.

Nurturing your mental fitness equips you with the tools to adapt and thrive in the constantly evolving fitness industry landscape. It fosters resilience, helping you navigate setbacks and uncertainties with grace and strength. As the industry becomes increasingly competitive, offering mental fitness services differentiates your business. In a world where mental health awareness is growing, you will attract clients seeking a more comprehensive approach to wellness. Embarking on your mental fitness

journey can lead to personal growth and greater fulfillment. This growth will radiate through your business and inspire others.

To help you on your personal and professional journey this issue invites you to explore various approaches, from mindfulness and meditation to positive psychology and perfectionism. Do not underestimate the power of leading by example as this will also set you apart. Demonstrate your commitment to mental fitness to inspire your clients and establish yourself as a credible and authentic mental wellness advocate.

Speaking of leading by example, I would like to recognize all the canfitpro award winners featured in this issue. Their stories serve as a source of inspiration and offer valuable insights to everyone. Stay tuned for future issues as we continue to highlight all the award winners and nominees!

Looking for opportunities to grow your business or for personal growth? Join us for our canfitpro ASPIRES Growth event on November 3rd (canfitpro.com/events2023/growth/).

This fall let’s turn over a new leaf and make mental fitness and health an integral part of our fitness journeys. Together, we can raise the bar for what it means to be truly fit. Let’s embark on this journey together and discover the incredible benefits it can bring to our industry and our lives.

Maureen “Mo” Hagan Chief Operating Officer

Fitness Advisory Panel

Terence Boateng

Nathalie Lacombe

Melanie Levenberg

Jessica Maurer

Erin Phelan

Trevor Pickett

Funk Roberts

Jess Silver

Ben Siong

Dwayne Smith

To Subscribe

canfitpro Magazine is published six times per year by Canadian Fitness Professionals Inc. New Professional Memberships with canfitpro are $120 per year (plus GST/HST) and renewals are $98 per year (plus GST/ HST) and include a subscription to the magazine. For more information, please contact Member Services at ext. 301.

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Photo Credit: Angiesphototeam

This is an excerpt from Breathe, Focus, Excel by Harvey Martin

Canadian Rory Van Ulft is breaking

and having fun

canfitpro is proud of our staff and their commitment to helping you, our valued members, be successful. Our staff come from diverse and varied backgrounds and bring a wealth of knowledge, expertise and experience to their roles.

What is one fun fact you can share about yourself?

I can touch my nose with my tongue!

How long have you been working at canfitpro?

I started in November 2022.

What is your role and what do you do for canfitpro?

I am currently a Member Experience Advisor with canfitpro. My roles include assisting members with their certifications, delivering sales expertise, and providing the best customer service for all our members

the best possible customer service experience for the member.

What is your favourite form of exercise or physical activity? My favourite form of exercise is weightlifting! I also enjoy playing sports and getting in that cardio!

How do you incorporate fitness into your life?

I go to the gym regularly (5-6 times a week).

Do you hold a canfitpro certification?

I recently achieved my Personal Training Specialist certification!

Name: Jacob Sherr

Nickname: Jakester

Country of birth: Canada

Cultural background: Portuguese, American

What is your favourite food? Tacos

What is your favourite holiday? Christmas

Why is what you do with canfitpro important to you?

My role as a Member Experience Advisor is important to me because of the assistance and help we provide to members daily. The feeling I get from helping people get started on their fitness career is very rewarding to me.

Which canfitpro core value most resonates with you? Caring Community. The environment at canfitpro is a very open and inclusive one that allows me to feel confident and cared for every day I show up to work. That also resonates in how we deal with our members. I pride myself in delivering

Are

What is your two-word WHY statement?

Be Great – Always! Strive to reach your goals and be the best version of yourself.

What is your Super-Power?

My super-power is reliability. I am always there for my friends, family, and colleagues and will always have your back!

What do you want to be remembered for?

I want to be remembered as a kindhearted and caring individual.

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CANFITPRO PRO TRAINER AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

canfitpro’s PRO TRAINERS are experts in their specialty, promoting quality fitness education by delivering our certification courses and exams within their communities and online. They act as mentors for those entering the fitness industry to help them successfully begin their careers.

Congratulations to the 2023 PRO TRAINER award winners!

This year, we are also celebrating three PRO TRAINERS who have been delivering our certification courses for 25 years!

Janice Forand, Theresa Holdsworth, and Eldon Uchida were part of the very first group of PRO TRAINERS to join our education team in 1998 and have continued delivering our programs year after year; helping new fitness instructors and personal trainers launch their own careers in the fitness industry!

Congratulations to these dedicated PRO TRAINERS!

Above photo from left to right: David Patchell-Evans (CEO canfitpro/GoodLife Fitness), MarieEve Ricard (Industry Impact), Anastasiya Maryukova (Participants Choice), Trevor Pickett (Best in Business), Simon Paige (Rookie of the Year), Jane Riddell (COO/President GoodLife Fitness), Maureen Hagan (COO canfitpro), Daniela Goode Thomas (Certification Manager canfitpro)

2023 FITNESS PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS

MEET PAUL GALLARO, FITNESS INSTRUCTOR SPECIALIST OF THE YEAR AND TREVOR PICKETT, PERSONAL TRAINING SPECIALIST OF THE YEAR

Tell us about your fitness career journey.

PAUL: My fitness career started back in 2005 when, after becoming a healthy non-smoker and hiring a personal trainer to help me improve my health and fitness, I took the canfitpro PTS certification. After working on my own as a personal trainer, I started working at GoodLife Fitness and began participating in Group Fitness… that is when it all

changed for me. I fell in love with the group dynamic — to me, group fitness was synonymous with world peace. Where else could you find a group of people working together toward a common goal of getting fit and having fun?

About three years into my career, I had a health condition that forced me to take a break from intense physical fitness and focus on mindbody practices like yoga and Pilates.

Although initially disappointed, I embraced these practices and started to incorporate my spiritual practice into my fitness routine.

The years that followed were filled with great accomplishments: I was a canfitpro PRO TRAINER (CPR and Mind Body Fitness Specialist), a master trainer for a fitness-based yoga school and was awarded the 2015 Delegates’ Choice Specialty Presenter of the Year.

PAUL GALLORO, FITNESS INSTRUCTOR SPECIALIST OF THE YEAR

TREVOR PICKETT, PERSONAL TRAINING SPECIALIST OF THE YEAR

Between 2015 and 2018 while travelling North America leading yoga teacher trainings, I opened a wellness centre, completed a degree in Metaphysical Science, obtained my yoga therapy designation, and lead local and international wellness retreats. By the end of that period, I crashed, burned hard and needed a break. I closed my yoga studio, took a sabbatical, and travelled the world for three months, focusing on my spiritual practice and doing some deep introspection. When I returned from sabbatical, I stepped into the yoga world and taught mostly in yoga studios and wellness centres.

In January 2020, I began my return to fitness, and, well… we all know what happened shortly after that. I cried for three days straight when we went into

lockdown and what pulled me out of that place was a little voice that told me to host a virtual dance party. The uncertainty of the following years led me to get a full-time job in publishing, but I was still connected to the fitness community in that time. canfitpro invited me to present a session during their mental health week in 2020, present at their virtual conferences in 2020 and 2021, and asked me to be part of their advisory panel in 2021. I am so grateful to canfitpro for these opportunities because it kept me connected to the fitness community and affirmed where I felt most at home.

Through all the uncertainty of 2020 and 2021, I had many virtual offerings that kept me grounded and anchored and gave me purpose to continue what I was meant to do and at the

end of 2021, I focused my efforts on creating two virtual communities: ARISE and the Movement Educators Collective.

As the world emerged from isolation in 2022, I began teaching in traditional fitness facilities again and returned to teaching at GoodLife Fitness. I felt called to bring all I learned as a trauma-informed yoga therapist into the group fitness setting and developed a program that focused on nervous system regulation and blended fitness with mind-body practices like yoga, meditation, Pilates, and bioenergetics.

TREVOR: My career began with a desire to combine my passion for fitness with my love for helping people. I obtained my canfitpro PTS certification in 2012 and began

working with clients with a mobile training business in Toronto. I fell in love with the job quickly.

A few years later, I got the opportunity to become a canfitpro PRO TRAINER and quickly found something I loved just as much as training clients. Getting to help others in their pursuit to become personal trainers! Through this I have met the most amazing people along the way and have had the privilege to see them become amazing and effective personal trainers.

The last few years I have created my own continuing education branch of my company called Offbeat Fitness Education which has been a fantastic way to keep working with past course participants. My business has changed too. I now do much of my training virtually, save for a few clients that I am so thrilled to train in person in my small town here in Sable River.

Where would you like your career path to take you?

PAUL: I would like to expand my virtual offerings, ARISE and the Movement Educators Collective, to connect with more people and help them improve their lives and the lives of others. I would also like to return to leading international wellness retreats to give people the opportunity to take a deep dive into their health and wellness and love themselves more.

TREVOR: I have loved teaching so much that I would love to keep pursuing new opportunities in the realm of education. I just launched a new CEC course entitled Mobility Coach under my Offbeat Fitness Education umbrella. I would love to keep making more content to help fitness professionals optimize their work with clients. I would also like to keep finding new and unique ways to mentor fitness professionals as they navigate our industry.

What types of transformations have you made in the last year and how has it changed you as a fitness professional or your fitness business?

PAUL: One of the biggest things I have done is embracing the hybrid approach to what I do and what I offer. Working both online and in-person has helped me expand my community and reach more people.

I also began using my podcast as something that enhances my virtual programs and in-person classes. It has led me to creating more diverse offerings and allows people to get more out of our time together.

TREVOR: This past year I have tried to reflect more on my position and impact as a fitness professional in my community. I live in a small town and initially I was not sure if I would be training clients in person. Well, this past year after getting to know more folks in the area I have begun to have an ever-growing in-person client base. To me it is like a full circle effect. I started with in-person over a decade ago in Toronto then switched to almost exclusively online and now my in-person personal training is growing. The dual advantage is growing my business, but I am also hoping to become a fixture in this community as well.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

PAUL: The best piece of advice I ever received is work smarter not harder… and to look cute doing it!

TREVOR: Be grateful. And it was amazing advice. When you lead with gratitude it is incredible how your life will begin to change. At the very least, it will keep you going on tough days.

What piece of advice would you give your younger self?

PAUL: As cliche as it sounds, always stay true to yourself, and follow your heart, no matter what others say. And if you hear no, go out and find that yes

somewhere else.

TREVOR: Be patient and focus on the big picture. Just keep showing up and stick to your mission to help your clients. Trust me. You are making a difference.

Why did you decide to nominate yourself for the Fitness Professional of the Year Award?

PAUL: When I received notification that I was nominated, I was discussing it with some of my students and community and they were so thrilled and excited for me. Many of them shared their experience working with me and what they receive from my offerings, and I was blown away. To me, I am just doing what I was called to do and listening to my heart while doing it, and to them it is life changing. I decided to accept the nomination for them in honour of all the hard work they are doing on to better themselves and their lives. This award is as much for them as it is for me.

TREVOR: I have been reflecting a lot lately on how far I have come. It was not always a smooth road, but I am glad I kept at it. I was never an athletic person, and I am an extremely slow learner. But refusing to give up on being successful at this profession has led to so much joy in my life. I think the road map to happiness is to just do your best to make things better for those around you. At least that has become my purpose. I want to show others how you can have a huge effect on the lives of your clients even if you are not naturally gifted at fitness. It does not matter what you look like or where you come from. If you work with integrity and true compassion for your clients, then you can have a real impact.

@paulgalloro experience.paulgalloro.com

2023 DELEGATES’ CHOICE NEW PRESENTER OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNER: BIANCA CORDEIRO

Please describe what it is that you do and how long you have been active in this role?

Currently, I am working as the lead dietitian within an online weight management program. I have been in the role for about one year now.

What is the biggest mistake you have made and how have you learned from it?

The biggest mistake I made was giving up on my dreams of being a dietitian halfway through undergraduate. I originally had it all planned out that I would start volunteering from second year onward, but due to feeling burnt-out I decided to take my second year easy. I regret this because I had to work that much harder in my third and fourth year to make up for the lack of experience I had. My daughter was part of the reason I decided to pursue dietetics again. I gave birth

to her in the spring of my third year, and she inspired me to work harder than I had ever had before. I learned that when it comes to your dreams, aim high, and put in the work today, because you never know what tomorrow brings.

How did you evolve your practice to become a sports nutritionist and get involved in the fitness industry?

During my undergraduate, I took additional courses related to sports nutrition, obtained a canfitpro PTS certification, and had a dietetic placement with a sports nutritionist at Gazelle Nutrition Lab. I was really interested in body composition changes, sports nutrition, and weight management, so I ended up opening my own private practice as a dietitian and sports nutritionist right after graduating from my master’s program and passing my dietetic examination.

What is calling on your courage this year?

This year I want the courage to be relentless in obtaining a better worklife balance. Things have been pretty go-go-go since starting my third year of undergraduate back in 2014. At one point, I had been working 64hour weeks. I will at least try to take a vacation this year!

What does this award represent to you?

This award represents to me that my hard work is being seen. I appreciate everyone who has supported me by listening in on any of my sessions and canfitpro for providing me with the opportunity to present. I am so honoured to be canfitpro’s New Presenter of the year. Thank you!

Photo Credit: IVIVI Media

KEEP YOUR MEMBERS ENGAGED ANYTIME. ANYWHERE.

A r e y o u l o o k i n g t o o f f e r y o u r m e m b e r s a n i m m e r s i v e a n d i n t e r a c t i v e e x p e r i e n c e t h a t ’ s w i t h t h e m w h e r e v e r t h e y a r e ? D o y o u w a n t t o c r e a t e m a g i c i n y o u r f a c i l i t y w i t h a d i g i t a l p l a t f o r m t h a t e l e v a t e s t h e i r f i t n e s s j o u r n e y s ?

E n j o y e d b y n e a r l y 8 m i l l i o n m e m b e r s a r o u n d t h e w o r l d , i F I T i s d r i v e n t o t r a n s f o r m d i g i t a l f i t n e s s ; a t h o m e , i n t h e g y m , o n t h e g o ; a n d a v a i l a b l e f r e e o n c u t t i n g - e d g e c a r d i o e q u i p m e n t f r o m F r e e m o t i o n F i t n e s s .

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BUILDING A TEAM APPROACH AROUND CLIENTS AND PATIENTS

MEET DR. KEN KINAKIN, 2023 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER

What does this award represent to you?

This award represents recognition of over 40 years of learning, teaching, mentoring, and learning more. This really touched my heart, as you noticed when I accepted the award and was unable to talk due to the overwhelming emotion that overcame me.

How have you evolved as a chiropractor, coach, and personal trainer over the years?

I have evolved by being a constant student, always hungry to learn and accepting of the many ways to get to the same goal.

There is always the science and art of training and treatment. You keep trying new strategies, new ways, and ideas...that is science. The art is determining when and with whom you use those strategies.

You founded the Society of Weight-Training Injury Specialists (SWIS). What is your overarching goal when it comes to SWIS and the fitness industry as a whole?

My main goal with SWIS was to educate health professionals on proper weight training and fitness professionals on the various treatment and rehab protocols on treating a weight training injury. It

was also to have health and fitness professionals to refer to each other and build a team approach around the client or patient.

What advice can you share with other fitness professionals to be successful?

My advice is to level up, become the best in a specific niche so health professionals like me can confidently refer to them. The more specific you become, the more successful you will be, and it also makes your marketing so much easier. If you love soccer, understand everything you can about the strength and conditioning for soccer and then author articles, books, make videos, do seminars to get your protocols and methodologies out there. Health professionals do not refer to trainers that dabble in everything. Medical doctors, after eight years of schooling, take another four years to be a low back surgeon, or a liver specialist. You will never see a medical doctor be a low back surgeon AND liver specialist, nor would you as a patient want to see them. So, trainers should level up their education and focus on becoming the best they can be in a specific area.

What is calling on your courage this year?

Interesting question. This year I will be more public and show what I do clinically and personally regarding health, training, and treatment. I am particularly good at promoting other people, but not myself. So, this year I will muster up the courage to show some of the interesting and weird things I do in the clinic and personally and make videos and upload them to YouTube. I know I may get trolled and have disrespectful comments, but I will move past that to show some of the highly effective things I have learnt over the decades by some of the smartest individuals on the planet.

@drkenkinakin

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CREATING & NURTURING CAREERS IN FITNESS

By David ‘Patch’ Patchell-Evans

Maureen ‘Mo’ Hagan’s drive to build the industry she loves fuels her ability to move quickly and decisively to adopt new and innovative approaches in her business.

Mo has been recognized all over the world as a fitness industry presenter and leader. She is a licensed physiotherapist and an active group fitness instructor. This year, in honour of canfitpro’s 30th anniversary, it was time to recognize Mo in front of her family, the canfitpro team and members.

In 1993, I asked Mo to help me start

canfitpro. Our dream was to create an organization dedicated to providing training and certifications to build more standards and integrity across the industry and meet the demand for certified fitness professionals.

Mo rose to the challenge and leveraged her group fitness experience to design and launch a training program for fitness instructors that evolved into canfitpro’s Fitness Instructor Specialist (FIS) certification, a foundational certification for the fitness industry and the model for the Personal Training Specialist (PTS) certification Mo developed one year later.

In 1995, Mo developed a new scalable model that would enable canfitpro to deliver consistently high-level training to more fitness professionals. canfitpro’s PRO TRAINER model certifies independent contractors to conduct certification courses and exams within their communities and online. canfitpro PRO TRAINERS have helped train and certify 60,000+ fitness professionals since Mo introduced the designation.

When Mo started canfitpro, her drive to help more people access and build their careers in fitness was focused on women since they had to work harder to advance to senior positions. Mo encouraged many women to join the fitness industry and helped nurture their careers through training and certifications.

Recognizing there were few networking opportunities for women in fitness, Mo organized canfitpro’s first Women Who Influence conference in 2013. For over 10 years, Women Who Influence events have brought together close to 2,000 people to make new business connections and network with friends from a variety of industries and backgrounds.

Mo is incredibly meticulous, dedicated, caring and thoughtful. She is a consummate professional who cares about other professionals. She is the mother of canfitpro. She has spent three decades nurturing this organization. She is personally involved in choosing presenters, organizing the Global Conference & Trade Show and other events, and building and promoting canfitpro educational programs.

Mo has earned this Lifetime Achievement Award, and this year is a wonderful time to show her how much we care about her.

We could not do it without you Mo. Thank you for everything. Patch @mo_hagan

MAUREEN ‘MO’ HAGAN, 2023 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER, HAS SPENT THREE DECADES CREATING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FITNESS INDUSTRY FOR LEARNING, GROWTH, AND CONNECTION

HEALTHY EATING WEIGHT LOSS & COACH

THE COURAGE TO BELIEVE IN ONESELF

TRX TRAINING, 2023 STEVE BLOCK VENDOR OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNER, IS REBUILDING BETTER AND STRONGER

By Randy Hetrick

What do you do when you discover that the “financiers” to whom you recently sold control of the company you built are as incompetent as they are unethical? It is not a question that any of us hope to ask ourselves. Yet, it was the question facing me in the late spring of 2019 — just four months after closing a transaction that I had expected to be transformative for TRX. It was indeed transformative, but not in any way that one might hope. The decision ultimately proved to be the worst of my professional career. It culminated two years later when those same “private equity professionals” drove the once mighty TRX into Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

But spring of 2019 had not yet revealed how the story would end. Instead, it had only revealed that my new “control partners” were operationally inept and not the kind of people with whom I wished to associate. All I could do was to fight against their misguided decisions and try in vain to protect the team, the brand, and our legion of longtime black and yellow advocates against mistreatment and disrespect. Many of our original teammates, with good alternatives, left the company. I too faced the brutal decision to remain and become complicit in the dismemberment of my life’s work or exit and try to write an entirely new chapter of my professional life. I

chose the latter. In October of 2020, I resigned as an executive officer of TRX and set out to launch an entirely new start-up from scratch.

In December of 2020, my new company, OutFit Training (OutFitFranchise.com), was born. For the next 18 months, I worked 100+ hour weeks (at the ripe age of 56) to assemble a new team, raise capital, and breathe life into an amazing new startup — one with even more scale potential than my first venture. Working together — at the typical, unrelenting 24/7 pace that successful startups require — we achieved lift off and our little company began to soar. We began to grow a strong new

culture that felt, in many ways, like the early days of TRX. Our HQ staff, coaches, and members began to gel as one cohesive team that worked and played together with equal enthusiasm. Things began to feel right with the world again.

Then the second shoe dropped. In May of 2022, I learned that the private equity owners and their handpicked management team had achieved the unthinkable. In just 18-months, they had taken TRX from year-end EBITDA of $21 million in 2020 to bankruptcy in 2022. It was truly unbelievable. I was beyond stunned. I was furious, hurt, and utterly disgusted. And I was heartsick for all those who had believed in me and invested their time, energy, and money to help me build TRX.

save

I was successful at finding a great new partner. One of the most successful, ethical, and maniacally committed partners that one could imagine. There is an old SEAL Team saying, “The Lord smiles upon Fools and Frogmen.” Perhaps I am both, which may explain why fortune smiled so brilliantly upon me in this case. Together, Jack Daly and I managed to win TRX in the 363 auction — the capital for which Jack funded personally. In the eight months since our reacquisition, we have worked frenetically to assemble a group of true “TRX Avengers”, as he likes to call our leadership team. Together, we are making TRX2.0 better, stronger, and faster than ever before. Jack is CEO and I remain Founder and Chairman. And against all odds, we have saved TRX from the dustbin of once high-quality brands that fell prey to inept private equity ownership.

This task, in addition to my full-time role as CEO of OutFit, required Herculean effort and courage and has taken a toll on most aspects of my life. My family has suffered my absence and inattention; my workouts have struggled to find 30-minute windows on my calendar; and my personal finances have groaned under the weight of repeated capital infusions into the business absent the compensation that senior executives

generally rate. Such is the life of an incorrigible entrepreneur. And it will all be worth it one day. As both businesses begin to soar again, my turn will come. I expect that I will soon begin to enjoy some of the financial benefits of having two successful businesses. Still more important, I will enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that — at the lowest point in my professional history — I did not flinch, and I never quit. Not even for a moment. Instead, I bit down on my mouthpiece and swung away at the target and, eventually, I connected not once but twice. In the end, the knowledge I have learned on the incredible power of belief in oneself -- and in the refusal to surrender — will be my greatest rewards of all.

Randy Hetrick is a former Navy SEAL, Stanford MBA, Founder of TRX, and the creator of the Suspension Trainer—one of the most popular pieces of exercise equipment in history. He served as CEO of TRX for 16 years before leaving in 2020 to found OutFit, a technology-enabled mobile fitness franchise. Recently, he participated in the reacquisition of TRX where he now serves as Chairman. Randy is a contributing lecturer at USC’s Marshall School and Stanford’s Graduated School of Business.

CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES

State of the Industry

5 REASONS TO BE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE CANADIAN FITNESS INDUSTRY

By Erin Phelan

There is every reason to be optimistic about the Canadian fitness industry. Fitness clubs are reporting more new members have joined in the first half of 2023 and we are moving forward with a shared purpose to improve the mental, physical, and social health of all Canadians.

“Many of our FIC members came together out of necessity in COVID, but now we are standing together with a greater purpose,” says Gabriel Hardy, Executive Director of Fitness Industry Council of Canada (FIC). “When we were closed, we worked behind the scenes, lobbying the government that physical activity is essential for the health of Canadians. We were able to help get gyms reopened, and even reverse a proposed provincial tax on gyms. There is great power in continuous effort. Now, it is time to build a stronger vision for our industry.”

According to an FIC survey, at least 10 percent of gyms permanently closed during the pandemic; 58.4 percent say they have fewer members now than before COVID; and there is a threat that small business owners will not be able to repay the federal CEBA debt, whose December 2023 deadline is a concern. FIC is working hard to make the voice of Canadian fitness owners heard in Ottawa and continues to argue that the work done in fitness facilities is essential to preventing and treating physical and mental health.

“We are looking forward with the absolute conviction that the work we do is not simply important - it saves lives,” says Hardy. “Gyms are no longer just places to get killer abs and a sweat on! They are where we come to get strong in every capacity in our lives. This is the purpose of FIC - to help our gyms get stronger.”

Here are five reasons to be optimistic about the Canadian fitness industry.

1. The first half of 2023 saw tremendous growth.

The first half of 2023 saw record

new sign-ups. The peak months for membership increases are March and September in Canada, and global and Canadian data is trending towards not only new members, but members who froze or canceled their memberships returning in droves. Check-in numbers are also rising - one report from ABC Fitness Solutions found that check-ins increased 22 percent from 2022 to 2023. Data shows that people who join online are on the rise since COVID, particularly among the 19–34-year-old demographic. While more than 50 percent of fitness operators still offer virtual, 84 percent report that their members want to be back in the gym.

2. Women and older members are big spenders.

In several data reports, women spend more on average in the club than men, and one key to the industry’s longevity will be exactly that - servicing and selling to Boomers and beyond! In fact, loyalty is higher among the over 55-yearold group, who spend more, on average, in the gym. Older members also tend to stay longer and have a higher overall lifetime spend.

3. Consumers want more from their gym experience.

Canadians want to join a gym not simply for the equipment and the programming - though both of those are deemed important according to our data. Overall health - physical, mental, and social - is more important than ever before. According to one forecasting report from Mindbody, consumers are seeking a “whole person” approach to fitness. To drive longterm engagement and impact, the challenge will be to provide new services that are integrated and help members achieve their goals.

4. Technology and personalization are here to stay.

Technology is changing the fitness industry daily - from the use of AI to being able to personalize the

customer experience, gyms need to be on the forefront of technology. Several predictions put wearable technology, the ability to track workouts, and receiving customized plans as key motivators for gym consumers.

5. Lobbying efforts to include physical activity tax credits gain momentum.

From BC to Newfoundland and Labrador, FIC is working to make the industry not only a recognized partner in healthcare, but essential to reducing crippling healthcare costs. We know that being physically active saves the government billions of dollars, by reducing rates of chronic illness, hospital visits, and a healthier population places far less of a burden on the healthcare system. FIC has once again submitted a pre-budget proposal to the federal government to revise line 33099 of the tax form to allow gym membership to be included as a medical expense.

As we look ahead to 2024, the Canadian fitness industry and fitness professionals have a huge opportunity to continue to impact lives.

Erin Phelan is the owner of The Erin Phelan FitFam, a virtual fitness community with live group training classes. She is also the communications lead for the Fitness Industry Council of Canada.

… THE CHALLENGE WILL BE TO PROVIDE NEW SERVICES THAT ARE INTEGRATED AND HELP MEMBERS ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS.

Secrets to Running a Stress-Free, Revenue Generating Fitness Studio

STUDIO MANAGEMENT TOOLS TO HELP REDUCE STRESS AND IMPROVE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

By Len Fridman

Enter the world of fitness business ownership—a journey where you transform lives every day. You guide individuals towards healthier versions of themselves, orchestrating remarkable changes.

But in this exciting dance, maintaining the rhythm is not always easy. You are more than a business owner; you juggle roles, manage operations, and weave growth strategies. The pursuit of success can be a whirlwind, leaving even the most driven breathless.

Amidst this whirlwind, the dream of

stress-free business management might seem elusive. Yet, with the right automation strategy and software tools, this dream can become a reality.

Studies reveal that 94 percent of companies choose a single, integrated solution for their apps and workflows. This cuts down on stress by removing the need for multiple systems.

Stress-free studio management is real at WellnessLiving. Our goal is to liberate you from tedious tasks,

allowing you to lead your business as a visionary, not a captive.

Our feature rich fitness studio management software and essential integrations are guaranteed to streamline business operations, make it easy to manage your online presence, and build engaging marketing strategies that convert. As a result, you can save time, minimize data entry mistakes, boost productivity, and of course reduce stress and improve your mental health.

Here are the top three tools that are helping fitness studio owners take the stress out of studio management.

1. Mobile booking and client management

In the fast-paced world of fitness business ownership, staying ahead requires more than just passion and expertise. It demands a seamless blend of innovation and efficiency. This is where WellnessLiving’s Elevate Staff and Achieve Client apps come into play.

While Elevate and Achieve apps cater to different sides of your fitness business—the managerial and clientfacing—they share a common goal: to streamline your operations and create a seamless experience.

Both apps put your clients at the center of your universe. Elevate Staff app keeps you connected to them, while Achieve app empowers them to engage with your offerings effortlessly.

“There’s just so many possibilities with WellnessLiving,” says Joel Tellier, owner and founder of Stay Gold in Toronto, Ontario. “Whether our trainers are booking clients, or our members are booking themselves, there’s so much flexibility for them to perform those tasks on their own time.”

2. Automation workflows and communication

According to Zapier’s recent business automation report, a staggering 94 percent of businesses perform repetitive tasks daily.

For fitness business owners, a significant challenge that increases manual work lies in pinpointing where clients stand in your sales and marketing journey, aiming to tailor experiences for them.

Enter WellnessLiving’s client groups. This feature sorts clients based on purchase history, demographics, milestones, and more. This means personalized communication via

email, SMS, and push notifications is a breeze, boosting connections and engagement.

With this information, and other built-in automations like lead capture and win-back campaigns, you can trigger communications and effortlessly engage and nurture clients, fostering deeper connections and driving sustainable growth.

“Now with WellnessLiving, when students miss class, they receive an automated follow-up email to encourage them to attend more classes.” says Aleksander Saiyan, Director of Operations at Toronto Dance Salsa. “Our retention skyrocketed, increasing 14–22 percent. Overall, we’ve nearly tripled our student base, from 244 to over 600. This is all thanks to WellnessLiving.”

What is more, WellnessLiving takes things a step further by being the first booking and payment software in the fitness industry to integrate with Zapier—an impressive tool linked to over 5,000 of the most popular work apps.

It is almost like magic data seamlessly flows from one system to another, allowing you to automate processes that were once handled manually.

3. Managing your online presence For fitness business owners, the challenge of establishing and maintaining a professional online presence often poses a significant hurdle.

With WellnessLiving’s Presence website service, fitness business owners gain a multitude of advantages, like a full team of web, search engine, and user experience experts with a track record of boosting search rankings and optimizing conversion rates. Think of the time and effort you would have saved—no more grappling with intricate website design or trying to decode technical

errors.

WellnessLiving’s Presence website service takes the stress out of website management, enabling fitness studio owners to channel their expertise and passion towards delivering exceptional fitness services.

“I love Presence,” says Chris Borda, veteran fitness coach and owner of Y.E.S Fitness in Burlington, Connecticut. “Not only did they design my website, but they handle SEO, helping me attract and convert more clients to my business.”

Helping you crack the code to a stress-free approach to studio management

Managing your business without a streamlined solution can have a significant impact on your mental health, leading to stress and anxiety. As a fitness business owner, blending in the right software integrations and business management tools can foster a sustainable path to growth that aligns with your fitness-centric philosophy.

Are you ready to go from stress to success with WellnessLiving’s all-inone business management software?

Discover firsthand how WellnessLiving helps fitness studios streamline business operations and boost revenue by up to 180 percent. Book a demo today and get 50 percent off your first three months when you subscribe to our Business Plan.

Len Fridman is the CEO and co-founder of WellnessLiving — an all-in-one business management platform trusted by over 20 million users and thousands of entrepreneurs. Len shares tools and resources to empower fitness business owners to attract, convert, and retain more clients.

JOURNAL

STUCK WORKING TOO MANY HOURS?

A PLATEAU

By Sean Greeley

The early days of building a new fitness business can be a whole lot of fun. You are following your passion. You get to be your own boss. And you are doing meaningful work you love.

Then at some point, you are going to get busy. In fact, the better you are at delivering results for your clients, the busier your business becomes! Which is good…until it is not.

You cannot solve all the problems in your business.

There are only so many clients you can serve personally. And even when you are hiring other coaches and trainers to work with clients, you cannot keep growing a business if you are the only one who knows how to manage operations, solve problems, and lead growth.

Eventually everybody runs out of time and energy capacity.

So what’s the solution?

You need to build a winning team.

How to Build a Winning Team

Scaling a business beyond yourself and working IN the business as an operator involves a number of key components. Learning and mastering each step allows you to make a bigger impact in the lives of the market you wish to serve.

Let’s dive in…

Step 1: Design Your Winning Team

What do you want your team to look like? How many players do you need on your team? What are their roles and responsibilities? Who reports to whom? How would you rate the

current players on your team today (if you already have people working with you)?

These are all important questions to answer as you design your winning team. In the boutique studio and gym business, there are generally five key roles:

• Owner - responsible for the business vision and roadmap, owns (or signs off on) the business financial targets and budget

• Studio Manager - Responsible for execution of the business plan, marketing strategy, leads and manages the team, ensures operational compliance, and resolves issues

• Membership ConsultantResponsible for new revenue, pipeline management, selfgenerated leads, and sales

HERE’S WHY SO MANY FITNESS BUSINESSES HIT

conversion

• Head Coach - Responsible for retention, client/member health, utilization, and leads/manages/ develops coaches

• Coach(s) - Responsible for client/ member experiences, coaching sessions/classes, generate reviews, generate referrals

When you are ready to design a winning team, it is critical to create Role Score Cards that define the outcomes each role is responsible for.

Get clear on the operations for each role by creating a Role Checklist that defines daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual tasks.

And before you begin recruiting, invest time to create Team Avatars that define the profiles, experiences, and career goals for the ideal candidates you are looking to hire. Investing time upfront will make it easy to identify great candidates when you find them.

Step 2: Recruiting and Hiring

Most business owners will tell you they cannot find any good team members to hire.

Is that really true? No.

But it is 100 percent true that the best candidates you want to hire are not trolling job boards and online want ads looking for work. They are already employed and successful.

The best candidates you want to hire are what we call “passive” job seekers. They are not looking for a new position, but if the right opportunity comes around… that offers them a better culture fit, growth path, and more to achieve their personal goals… they would be open to having a conversation with you about it.

That is why we recommend engaging in outbound recruiting strategies. Research your competition, search

on LinkedIn for candidates with work experience and job titles that match your ideal candidates, and network to generate referrals and intros to great candidates.

Most importantly, take your time with hiring. We recommend using a multistep hiring process that evaluates prospective candidates on culture fit, skills assessment, and personal vision alignment with your company’s career growth opportunities. And focus on hiring team members that have potential to grow with your business for three plus years. Anything less than that is too costly for your business in turnover.

Step 3: Role Development

Once you have hired a new team member, it is your responsibility to set them up for success in their role. I recommend you create a plan to get them up to speed and be successful in 30 days. If it takes longer than that, you have either got the wrong candidate or the role and processes are too complex (and it is time to simplify).

A word of caution: re-evaluate new hires in 90 days. Are they the right fit? Are they hitting targets? Are they making you and your team’s life easier? If you cannot say YES enthusiastically to all three questions… then keep recruiting to find the A-players you need.

Step 4: A-Player Development

Too many businesses flatline because they do not invest time into employee training, development, and management. Which is crazy.

Payroll is your most expensive line item each month on the Profit and Loss statement. Why would you not invest time in developing your team to drive higher returns on your investments in people?

If you are wondering what this means exactly, we recommend having regular 1:1 meetings (ideally weekly) with all full time staff. Take time to

complete quarterly reviews. Create growth plans. Invest time, energy, and resources in people and hold them accountable.

Iron sharpens iron and A-players want to be challenged (and supported) to grow on a team with other A-players.

Step 5: Leadership Development

Developing people is only part of leading and managing a business to success. To become a powerful leader, you have also got to understand business metrics, finance, and strategy. Growing your knowledge and mastery in these areas will empower you to make the important business growth decisions required to ensure long-term success.

Summary

If you love what you do, but find yourself working too many hours IN your business… it is time to build a stronger team. And when you do, you will impact more lives with your businesses health and fitness services. You will create new career opportunities for your team members.

And you will grow your income, time freedom, and develop your business into a financial asset (not just an income stream).

What are you waiting for? Sean Greeley is a founder, coach, family man, author, and speaker who helps fitness entrepreneurs build sustainable and predictable 7-figure businesses. Since 2006, NPE has helped over 53,000+ fitness businesses in 96+ countries grow to the next level, and is responsible for driving over $1.1 billion in client revenue.

Download NPE’s The Winning Team Playbook™ PDF and free training at npefitness.com/canfitpro-team

CONNECTING WITH YOUR MEMBERS

By Trish Tonaj

In our gig economy, we spend a lot of time with technology; some say too much time is spent on our computer, phone, and tablets.

I recently had a conversation with a colleague discussing how many things have changed in the way we conduct business over the last 10 years. I have been a certified Personal Trainer since 2009, collaborating with club owners to increase their profile and create effective marketing campaigns tailored to their clientele.

When I begin each new project, we discuss words like kind, creative, and thoughtful. Whether you are in a boutique or mid-sized club, I am sure you have a process for connecting with clients.

The question is: Has it become too automated?

Things have drastically changed in our communication strategies. We live in an instantaneous society and social media enables us to build a brand to connect with a wider audience. Meaningful content opens

doors and creates a platform to start new conversations.

Is there something to be said for the old way of doing business?

At a time when competition is fierce, it may be interesting to ask yourself a few questions as you review your current business model:

• What is your close ratio from the internet?

• If you took into consideration the time, energy, and money spent on

CREATE YOUR WOW FACTOR WITH OLD-FASHIONED STRATEGIES

creating posts that speak to your brand, what is your ROI?

• Is the time spent on social equal to or more than the money you used to allocate to an advertising budget?

These are good questions when analyzing return on investment and creating spreadsheets for strategic planning. I always include a column on consumer perception and creating a WOW factor.

Is it time to revisit a few “old-

fashioned” strategies?

Here are five things people will remember:

1. Introductions: Handshake

The old saying “you never get a second chance to make a first impression” is so true and the first introduction to your company and the services offered may be through social media but when a prospect walks through the door, despite COVID, a handshake made with eye contact will leave a lasting impression. Over the years,

I remember the people who had a firm handshake with a warm smile, it set the stage for future meetings and correspondence.

2. Relationship building: Phone calls

How many emails do you receive in a day? An old-fashioned phone call is rare in today’s business climate. I am surprised how surprised folks are when I pick up the phone rather than send another email.

It is a terrific way to establish a relationship in real-time and

creates what I call the “human connection.” Never discount the power of a phone call!

3. Gratitude: Thank you notes and cards

Whenever I meet with a prospect or colleague, I always send a note of thanks for taking the time to get together. Even if there are no opportunities to convert the connection into a client it is plain old-fashioned good manners to say, “thank you; it was a pleasure to meet you!” Over the years, I have received the best referrals from someone who was not on our client list!

4. Appreciation and Recognition: Logo products, gift certificates, flowers!

This is a feel-good experience for both the sender and receiver. When we acknowledge and commemorate a special occasion or accomplishment it is a wonderful way to recognize the folks in our network. It makes you feel important as the sender, and who does not enjoy being on the receiving end with a token of appreciation. A simple way to create smiles.

… YOU WILL BE FONDLY REMEMBERED IN A WORLD WHERE THINGS HAVE BECOME HECTIC AS WE SCROLL THROUGH THE DAY.

DEI & INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP

CREATING PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY AND PROMOTING EMPLOYEE MENTAL WELLNESS

By Dwayne Smith

HOW MANY TIMES A DAY ARE WE TOLD TO FACE OUR FEARS?

To push ourselves to be our best? And yet, when it comes to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), we see some leaders retreat into a shell of safety and comfort. Even those who are innovative and daring in business.

As humans, we have a natural tendency towards safety and selfpreservation. DEI initiatives force us to confront our biases which leaves us feeling vulnerable. It is much easier for us to play to our strengths because that gets us noticed for positive outcomes like promotions, raises, and opportunities for advancement. But a leader does not thoughtlessly follow their instincts. They understand them and break past them to create internal transformational change.

Leaders do not concern themselves with self-preservation as much as they do with the well-being of the entire group. To cultivate your leadership, you must make a conscious effort to be vulnerable and do the work in facing your unconscious biases. A leader who can face and admit their biases gains the trust of others. And just like anything in life, when you first start, it is hard. You are learning new skills and unlearning old habits. But the more you commit to change and practice, the easier it gets.

DEI is rooted in belonging, connection, vulnerability, and psychological safety. There is a feeling of being valued for who you are and your unique experiences as a human. If you are a senior leader or an entrepreneur trying to implement DEI practices and it feels like a struggle, focus on leading the way by deconstructing your own biases and creating safe spaces for others to do the same.

A leader and mentor of mine changed the trajectory of my career by exhibiting this important trait… Allyship.

I remember I had a really big interview for a role that would help me advance in the company. One of my mentors called beforehand to hype me up and help me prepare. But things do not always go as planned and I completely forgot to mention some of my qualifications for the position during the interview. Afterward, this mentor called the interviewers and told them about what I had mistakenly left out. He made sure they had all the information on what I had to offer. He did everything he could to help me be successful. He brought my name to the table. I do not think I would have gotten that promotion if it were not for him. Not because I was not qualified but because the right people did not have all the information about me to consider me for the role fully.

As a leader, you have the influence and power to help people reach their full potential. You can help clear pathways that would normally be blocked by systemic barriers. You can offer them opportunities to showcase their skills and talents. You have so much power that you can use to help others.

This mentor of mine made me feel safe and valued by being a true ally.

People often ask me how they can be an Inclusive Leader. It really comes down to helping others feel included and be successful. Helping others be their best selves and reach their full potential.

If I asked, “How do you want everyone around you to feel?”, you would probably say you want everyone around you to feel good, to feel like they have opportunities and to feel like they are valued. Most leaders would.

Unfortunately, DEI initiatives within companies usually take shape after a tragic event. These situations are often heavily protested and publicized in the media, which puts pressure on organizations to do something in response. So, when they increase their DEI efforts, people associate DEI with woke culture and far-left

liberalism.

DEI is not about making your leadership more liberal or “woke.”

Embracing DEI initiatives as a leader means that within the walls where you work (and beyond), you understand that there are people that do not have the same experiences in life or interpret things the way you do. You may not see things the way someone else does because of your experiences, but that does not invalidate the other person’s experiences.

It is possible for there to be two truths. That is why DEI learning is so important in understanding your biases. And why allyship is essential to creating psychological safety.

To be an inclusive leader, you must understand the experiences and histories that lead people to think/ live/view the way they do. By knowing the history, you can understand why people respond or feel a certain way. And if you get to know people, and help them feel safe, you can better engage them in the work of your organization.

Imagine if you could influence and inspire 100 percent of your team. That would be amazing, right? That is what you want because when you can authentically connect with your employees, it impacts your revenue and your company’s success.

People who feel good will stick around, and that means you will retain valuable skills, talent, and knowledge.

Dwayne Smith is an executive champion for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion who has exceled in the fitness industry for almost 20 years. With a strong passion for people and fitness, he brings his education and lived experience to inspire others to embrace a workplace where everyone feels a sense of belonging through Inclusive Leadership.

Moving Towards Wellness

OUR CLIENTS HAVE MOVED BEYOND WORKOUTS WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR HEALTH, AND WE ARE PERFECTLY POISED TO MEET THEIR NEEDS.

With services including health span and longevity, recovery and sleep, stress management and mental health, and so much more, it is critical to gain a clear understanding of the skills needed to tap into the evergrowing wellness market that will provide longevity to your career.

Distinguishing between fitness and wellness helps us see how to integrate our current fitness offers and expertise into a well-rounded wellness program.

Fitness

• Refers specifically to physical health

• The ability to perform a physical task

• The absence of a physical ailment

Wellness

• Refers to the balance of a set of health-related elements in a person’s life

• Overall health: physical, mental, social, and immune

The global wellness market is worth $4.4 trillion and is expected to reach $7 trillion by 2025. A study by the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) reveals that for every annual increase of around $800 in wellness spending per person, happiness levels rise by seven percent and life expectancy by 1.26 years.

Wellness Trends

and serotonin, increase. Creating a routine of consistent physical activity is therefore beneficial to our mental health; focus on frequency here more than duration or intensity.

Put into practice: promote and program some formof physical activity on most days of the week. These can include structured workouts with you as well as active living movement opportunities on the other days such as outdoor walks. Help your clients see these as “mental health boosts”.

Mindfulness, sleep, and recovery

A fantastic and accessible place for fitness professionals to start is highlighting the impact that physical activity has on wellness. We can thereby tap into the market by sharing what we do now, but to a greater number of people.

Let us promote exercise by connecting its benefits for physical, mental, social, and immune health:

Managing stress and mood

Our stress hormones, including cortisol and norepinephrine, decrease during exercise, and our happiness hormones, including dopamine

Clients of all ages are seeking opportunity to recover not only from traditional workouts, but also the stressors of their daily lives. We are seeing “mental health gyms” open their doors as well as “mindfulness rooms” pop up in gyms, offices, and hotels.

Exercise improves sleep quality; helps you fall asleep faster and regulates sleep patterns.

Put into practice: shift your skill set towards stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system to support rest, recovery, and healing. Share your tools for better breathing and learn about sleep hygiene.

DEVELOP THE SKILLS TO CREATE A WELL-ROUNDED WELLNESS PROGRAM AND LONGEVITY TO YOUR CAREER

By Nathalie Lacombe

Outdoors and travel

Hotels and destinations are growing their resort-style offers and are especially focused on health and wellness. In high-end travel, wellbeing is the key element in vacation planning for 61 percent of travelers.

Put into practice: grow your network and opportunities by reaching out to hotels nearby with offers such as outdoor fitness and nature walks, classes or workshops in their gyms, special activities for wellness retreats, and more.

Family and social health

Wellness studios and social clubs have replaced some traditional gyms and focus on providing classes that build social health.

Being active as a family supports a positive body image as well as reinforces a sense of competence and self-control.

Put into practice: provide multigenerational special activities for your clients where the focus is less on working out and more on spending quality time together as a family.

Workplace wellness

Organizations have turned many

human resource departments into “people and wellness” as they strive to recruit and keep top talent. They allocate time and budget to the physical and mental health of their teams, combining wellness and performance.

Put into practice: create workshops within your current wheelhouse that supports professional and personal goals such as The Best Exercises to Kick Off Your Day or Stretches That Boost Your Energy.

Nourishing performance

Our industry tends to promote radical “all or nothing” nutrition and diets, risking confusion and frustration. Clients are looking for ways to nourish the energy needed to perform well in their activities of daily living, as well as promote their health span.

Put into practice: support accessible and reassuring nutrition practices by refraining from “never eat this again” tactics that tend to scare people. Learn about food that will nourish the energy they need based on their goals and coach them towards this by including more positive reinforcement.

We know our services positively impact not only physical but also

mental health. I have been incredibly impressed with the shift in our industry towards a more well-rounded approach to how we communicate the benefits of an active lifestyle on wellness, yet I know that this is an area in which many crave more knowledge and skills.

It is my absolute pleasure to share with you a resource I created to help take accessible but meaningful steps. Click here to download your FREE Strengthening Mental Health Through Fitness Workbook and begin incorporating wellness into your repertoire to support an even-more rewarding and sustainable career!

Nathalie Lacombe, MSc., is the coach and cupid of the fitness industry! She blends her 25 years of international fitness experience with her degrees in psychology and exercise science to coach fitness professionals and leaders towards incredible success in their careers and businesses.

5 DIGITAL TOOLS FOR BOOSTING YOUR BUSINESS

BUILDING THE HEART AND SOUL OF YOUR BUSINESS – YOUR BRAND

By Aesha Tahir

HAVE YOU EVER SPENT HOURS FIGURING OUT WHICH DIGITAL TOOLS TO USE FOR YOUR BUSINESS? YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

The digital marketing landscape is constantly evolving, and 47 percent of entrepreneurs say they need help keeping up with technology. It can be tough to know where to start when you are trying to build a business. Fitness businesses need tools that help them cost-effectively manage their operations and marketing.

In this article, you will learn about five digital tools necessary for building a brand. After all, a brand is the heart and soul of your fitness business. It motivates your audience, generates sales, and makes you unique.

The best part? These tools are easy to use and will save you dozens of hours weekly while growing your business.

Convert Kit

Convert Kit is an email marketing tool with a vast community of 70,000+ users. In 2022, its users generated $10 million in collective revenue! Now that is a powerful number.

Email marketing is an influential tool for any business. It scores ten times higher in customer conversions than all other digital marketing channels. Converting a prospect into a customer in the fitness industry can be difficult. Most fitness businesses rely on the strength of their staff and personal relationships through direct selling. When I first started building my email list, I used an email service that charged based on the number of subscribers. It quickly became a big expense for my business.

Convert Kit provides advanced features like e-commerce, sales funnel analysis, email tracking, and social media integration for a fraction of the cost of prominent email marketers. With this email tool, you will have no problem turning online leads into customers to grow your business faster than ever before.

Google Analytics

The first step to growing your fitness business is ensuring you are measuring the business campaign data. Google Analytics is a free tool that lets you get a complete picture of how your business performs across the Internet. It also enables you to measure and evaluate the marketing, content, and products that you use to make sure they are working to reach your target audience. Another perk of this tool is that it analyzes your competitor’s site traffic to know what works for them — or what does not — so you can avoid making the same mistakes in your business strategy.

You do not need to be a pro to get started; it is easy to set up a google analytics account at analytics. google.com/analytics. The sooner you activate it, the better. It will immediately begin collecting critical metrics of your business campaigns that you can use to grow your fitness business.

Searchie

Searchie is the most flexible, easyto-use online platform to create, organize, and sell digital courses and memberships. Online classes and courses are the bread and butter for most fitness businesses. With Searchie, you can create beautiful, tailored video content that serves your students at a much higher level. It saves time and energy with automatic transcriptions, captions, and seamless integrations with Facebook and Zoom. Your clients will love that they can search your videos by keywords— getting them exactly what they want in seconds.

Canva

Canva is the ultimate, all-in-one visual content tool that helps you create professional marketing materials in a fraction of the time. The whole team can join the fun as you can add up to five team members to your account. Most of its features are free and simple to use. Whether you are running a yoga studio or a health club, with Canva, you can create stunning

social media posts and eBooks in minutes that will help you attract new clients. All you do is drag and drop images to customize professionally designed templates in Canva. That way, you and your team can focus on keeping your clients in great shape.

Buffer

Buffer is a social media scheduling tool that allows you to schedule posts ahead of time across multiple platforms. With Buffer, you do not have to worry about missing important opportunities or being unable to respond quickly to customers via social media channels.

Buffer has expanded its service offerings to include automated customer service capabilities and social listening analytics in its new Buffer Publish app. It is an impeccable tool for fitness business owners to schedule content and automate web customer service.

The Bottom Line

To grow your business, you need the right tools to get the job done. Digital marketing tools can help you save time and money, automate repetitive tasks, and increase productivity.

Given the fast-paced nature of digital marketing, having these five tools on deck is crucial for keeping your business campaigns from getting lost in the shuffle. Convert Kit, Google Analytics, Searchie, Canva, and Buffer will keep your marketing content fresh and generate high-converting traffic from your campaigns.

Aesha Tahir is an exercise physiologist on a mission to help deskbound professionals live healthier lives. She is the founder of Tone and Strengthen, a corporate wellness company. As a wellness writer, she passionately educates people about enhanced nutrition, exercise, and entrepreneurship! You can learn more about her at aeshatahir.com

EXERCISE ADDICTION

AS FITNESS PROFESSIONALS, ARE WE MODELING A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH EXERCISE?

By Erin Phelan

IN 2016, I RAN SIX HALF-MARATHONS.

While this might not seem excessive to a committed runner, I swapped one addiction for another. For years, I balanced teaching group fitness classes with being a high functioning drinker. I got sober in 2014 and replaced my 5:00 p.m. glass of wine with a 5K run. By 2016, I was in the throes of divorce and a single parent – two years sober but addicted to something else.

Exercise.

To cope with pain, I ran. This new addiction was an “add-on” to an already crammed fitness schedule, where I taught 10 group fitness classes weekly, challenging metabolic conditioning, spin, full body strength. Each week, my body logged 15-20 hours in hard zones.

Running was my new high. I would finish a halfmarathon and sign up for another. Photos of me at the finish line garnered rave comments on social media.

“Go Girl!” “So inspiring.”

Inside I was cracking, standing on unstable ground. Running planted my feet.

How do we differentiate the passionate and committed runner or the dedicated everyday gym enthusiast from someone addicted to exercise? We would not label an elite athlete training for the Olympics, or a marathoner looking to shave three minutes off their time “addicted” – or would we?

In a 2011 academic paper, Clarifying Exercise Addiction, researchers used the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) to explore exercise addiction based on the following criteria:

• Tolerance: Where we increase the amount of exercise in order to feel the desired effect, whether it is a “runners high” or a sense of accomplishment.

• Withdrawal: In the absence of exercise, the person experiences negative effects such as anxiety, irritability, restlessness, and sleep problems.

• Lack of control: Unsuccessful attempts to reduce exercise levels or cease exercising for a period of time.

• Intention effects: Unable to stick to an intended routine by consistently exceeding

the amount of time devoted to exercise or going beyond the intended amount.

• Time: Where a great deal of time is spent preparing for, engaging in, and recovering from exercise.

• Reduction in other activities: As a result of exercise, social, occupational, and recreational activities occur less often or are stopped.

• Continuance: Continuing to exercise despite knowing that this activity is creating physical, psychological and/or interpersonal problems.

Fitness professionals and personal trainers are not trained psychologists or therapists. We cannot determine if one of our clients is addicted to exercise, but we can be aware of what exercise addiction looks like. Most importantly, we can look within to see if we are modeling the right behavior and if we need to ask ourselves a fundamental question:

Are we addicted to exercise?

Our clients look to us as experts and often follow our lead. For years, teaching in group fitness studios in Toronto meant that to make ends meet you had to teach multiple classes. Your body does get stronger through volume, intensity, and time under tension.

But how much is too much?

While I was chasing my goals between 2013 and 2018, I was building my career in fitness and training my body in the in-between moments. My body was not recovering properly. I pushed through small injuries – annoying knee tweaks that I would rest and ice, hips that needed massages, yellow lights on the car. I would take a day off, feel better, then get back at it.

In 2019, my knee gave out while on a run. A torn meniscus.

It should have been a sign to look at whether I was over-exercising, to dive deep into rest and recovery. Instead, I did everything I could to get back up and running as quickly as possible –

acupuncture, physio, strength training. It was a logical protocol physiologically but the mental energy behind it was fueled by exercise addiction. I could argue that this was my livelihood, but in truth I had learned to use exercise to numb the other pain in my life. I prided myself on my ability to lead tough classes through tuck jumps and burpees.

Who was I if I could not do a tuck jump?

When the pandemic hit, I was among thousands of fitness trainers who turned to social media to teach live classes. Within six months, I created a virtual group fitness program and have provided consistency, balance, and routine to an amazing community. In three years, I have coached more than 1,000 fitness classes. I also became a certified yoga instructor.

My body felt strong and powerful. Until it did not.

During a class in June, I landed a DB thruster – a move I have done hundreds of times - and felt a small pull in my back. It was not that bad, but it was annoying, like a pinched nerve. I added more rotations, longer activation and more stretching. I was trying to bounce back – again. But I was also in the fast lane of life –the end of the year, work projects, graduation for my two kids. My holiday was on the horizon. If I can just push a little longer, I can make it.

It is the voice that speaks to us at the end of a gruelling race. It is the voice we use to inspire students through the last round. But there is a fine line between inspiration and addiction.

When the pain took over my groin and inner thigh, I turned to an osteopath who had healed runners I knew; through loving kindness, she looked me in the eye and said, “You need to stop everything.”

This time, I listened.

In our sessions, she manipulates my sacroiliac joint and puts acupuncture

needles in my leg, and we talk about how I train others and myself, the importance of modeling recovery, and what it means to do too much. We have honest conversations about exercise addiction.

Have I been addicted to exercise?

Most definitely.

I have chased the runner’s high, and I have obsessed over closing my rings at the end of a day. The injury delivered a message I needed to hear – love exercise, but not too much.

This has opened new opportunities to talk to my clients. It has drawn into sharp focus that exercise addiction can manifest itself in different ways. As fitness experts, we must check in with ourselves often. In my recovery, I am leaning on other tools in my mental health kit – meditation, breathwork, journaling, gratitude. Exercise is powerful for our physical and mental health – but it is not the only way to get the DOSE (dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, endorphin) chemicals we need.

There are many ways to approach exercise addiction if you are a personal trainer or a group fitness instructor. You can emphasize the importance of recovery, not pushing a workout through illness, fueling the body properly. Exercise addiction often presents itself alongside disordered eating, whether it is anorexia or orthorexia (the unhealthy obsession with healthy eating). Most importantly, we must lead and model a healthy relationship with exercise, not compulsive behavior.

Erin Phelan is the owner of The Erin Phelan FitFam, a virtual fitness community with live group training classes. She is also the communications lead for the Fitness Industry Council of Canada.

FITNESS INSTRUCTOR

SPECIALIST

PERFECTIONISM - LEARN TO CHANGE THE CHANNEL

LEARN TO DISENTANGLE HEALTHY STRIVING FROM PERFECTIONISM

By Kathleen Trotter, MSc., FIS, PTS

To quote Brené Brown, author of Atlas of The Heart, perfectionism is both the “great oppressor” and the “thief of joy”; it is correlated with loneliness, eating disorders, depression, and anxiety.

Striving for the mirage of perfection creates an environment where overexercising and obsessive selfmonitoring are not only acceptable but desirable. Perfectionism poisons our self-image from the inside while simultaneously making us feel that if we live, love, and achieve perfectly, other people will respect us … that if we dance in just the right way, we will be successful. The act of searching for perfection is the enemy of feeling worthy in our own skin.

As health professionals, we need to be attuned to the corrosiveness of perfectionism. For our own mental and physical health — and for the health of our clients — we must learn to disentangle healthy striving from perfectionism.

We cannot truly help our clients become their fittest, “favourite,” and healthiest version of themselves if we are personally enmeshed in perfectionism. Our job is to help clients adopt a healthier lifestyle, and a perfectionist mindset is the opposite of healthy.

Perfectionist-inspired goals are at best unrealistic and at worst dangerous. The act of working towards an impossible goalpost is not a badge of honour; it is a recipe for burnout, injury, illness, and depression.

It is easy to intellectually know that perfectionism is a harmful illusion, it is harder to extricate oneself from the fantasy. Knowing and doing are two different things. We cannot let the challenge soften our resolve. We must rise to the task. We are health professionals; it is our professional responsibility to model healthy behaviour. We must “walk our talk”.

Three ways to “walk the talk”

1. Learn to note your self-talk. With awareness brings choice; once you can note your perfectionist inner voice you can decide to change the channel.

Would you talk to someone you love in the same way? What would you say to a client if they told you they talked to themselves in a similar tone?

people working to avoid shame and achieve “success” by trying to “please” and “perform” for other people. Perfectionism is fearbased. Since we can only control our own actions, trying to control other people’s thoughts, actions, and reactions by acting “perfectly” is a perverse form of torture.

An antidote to perfectionism is learning to stay in your own lane, to step away from the toxic zero-sum game of comparison. Name YOUR values. Then live them.

Concluding Thoughts

Do not attempt to be a “perfect” recovered perfectionist; that is simply another form of perfectionism. Embrace the process. Embrace the journey. Be curious. Strive for growth.

When you hear a perfectionist inner dialogue, take a pause to gain objectivity. As one of my clients says, “you can see a fly on someone else’s shoulder, but you can’t feel the bear on your own back.” After the pause, choose a course of action and an internal dialogue that is not based on comparison, fear, and perfectionism. Talk to yourself like you are talking to someone you love. Take the advice you would give a client.

Create an inner voice that is your own best cheerleader, not your own worst enemy.

2. Work on mindset. Your mindset is literally how your mind is “set.” It dictates your inner dialogue and your perspective. Foster a mindset based on progress not perfection. Replace your goal of “being perfect” or finding the perfect anything with a goal of “productive striving” and/or “progressive mastery”.

3. Turn your attention inwards. Perfectionism is other-focused. Perfectionism is comparison driven. Work to make yourself proud.

Brené Brown states, in Atlas of the Heart, that perfectionism feeds on

Richard Rohr, author of Falling Upward, pinpoints the difference between the “hero” and the “villain” as their openness to growth. The hero learns and grows from failures and suffering. The villain does not. Since being a perfectly recovered perfectionist does not exist, work to be the hero — grow and learn from all experiences. Have a growth mindset. Work to be in a better relationship with yourself and your emotions, wants, triggers, etc.

To quote Carl Rogers, “the good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction, not a destination.”

Set your compass towards growth. Start walking. Thrive in your own lane! Stand proud being you for you. What other people think of you is none of your business.

Kathleen Trotter is a fitness expert, life and nutrition coach, media personality, motivational speaker, trainer, writer, and author of Finding Your Fit and Your Fittest Future Self. Kathleen’s mission is to inspire people to adopt a healthier lifestyle (in an intelligent way). Connect via kathleentrotter.com or FitbyKathleenT on all social channels.

PERFECT IS A MIRAGE. NO HUMAN CAN BE PERFECT. NO “BODY” CAN BE PERFECT.

… TRYING TO CONTROL OTHER PEOPLE’S THOUGHTS, ACTIONS, AND REACTIONS BY ACTING “PERFECTLY” IS A PERVERSE FORM OF TORTURE.

MEDITATION FOR EVERYONE

4 MEDITATION PRACTICES TO SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH THAT EVERYONE CAN PRACTICE

By Lorne Opler, M.Ed., CSCS

All those answers are valid…except for the last one, “I’m just plain bad at it.” That is because everyone can meditate. The reason many of us assume we cannot meditate is that we have an inaccurate understanding of just what meditation is…and more importantly…what it is not. So let us start with a definition.

According to the Cambridge dictionary, meditation is “the act of giving your attention to only one thing, either as a religious activity or as a way of becoming calm and relaxed.”

In other words, meditation is a practice that cultivates a sense of focus, stillness, and internal quietude. So, what isn’t meditation?

Contrary to what many of us think, meditation is not about having to erase all thoughts from your head, as though your mind is an empty shell. Your mind is always going to be a repository of thoughts…it is what makes us conscious, sentient human beings. Meditation is not about switching our brain to “off” and trying to cancel out any thoughts that come into our mind. That is one of the biggest misconceptions about meditation. In fact, it is quite the opposite.

One type of meditation – Mindfulness meditation - recognizes thoughts will always enter our minds, even when we meditate. And that is OK. Mindfulness meditation emphasizes focusing on the present moment, not the past, not the future, but the “here and now.” And when thoughts naturally enter your head, the key to successful meditation is to simply acknowledge the thoughts in a non-judgemental way and then allow them to drift away as gently as they entered. This is why, when you practice mindfulness, you can never meditate incorrectly because you are not trying to keep thoughts out of your head, but rather allowing them to enter, gently acknowledging them, and then waving them goodbye.

Dispelling another meditation myth, you do not need to be seated on a

meditation cushion with eyes closed and legs crossed in lotus position to meditate. The beauty of mindfulness meditation is that you can practice it anywhere; while standing in a supermarket check-out line, sitting on an airplane, walking along a nature trail, even while running a 10K road race. Why? Because mindfulness meditation is not dependent on location but instead on focusing. And “present focusing” can be done in any environment and in any situation; indoors and outdoors, sitting, standing, running, or walking.

While mindfulness meditation is probably the most popular and wellknown form of meditation these days, there are other meditation types which involve a variety of different practices. Choosing the right type of meditation to fit your personality is key to gaining the motivation to stick with your practice method of choice.

So, what other types of meditation are there?

Transcendental Meditation (TM), based on the Hindu tradition, is another popular type. TM is a quite simple and effortless way to practice meditation and its practice and style is the one we most strongly associate with meditation; sitting quietly with eyes closed. But unlike mindfulness meditation that puts the focus on the breath or a visualized image, in TM one focuses on the repetition of a mantra – a specific word or phrase. TM does require formal training through sessions guided by a certified TM instructor, after which a personalized mantra is given to the meditator which when repeated for 20 minutes twice a day allows the practitioner to go into a deeper level of self-awareness and self-consciousness.

Ever keep a journal? If so, you are practicing Reflective meditation

When you keep a diary, you are contemplating personally meaningful issues, ideas, thoughts, and feelings that are reflective in nature. One of the advantages of journaling as a meditative art form is that it requires no instruction and like mindfulness meditation, it is free, it is portable, and it is easy to do. And no internal voice will be asking you, “am I doing this right?”

Perhaps the most interesting and

intriguing form of meditation is known as Loving Kindness meditation (LKM), a form of generative meditation. Practicing LKM helps to generate and grow one’s capacity for such qualities as patience, appreciation, gratitude, humility, and love to and for others. The premise is simple and only requires the meditator to recall a person who elicits positive feelings of joy and happiness. Visualizing their positive presence in the mind while using the breath to create stillness and calm, the meditator is then encouraged to contemplate another person who is in need of loving kindness and create a visualization of extending loving kindness to this individual. The practice in its ultimate form is to be able to show and give loving kindness even to those in our lives who are difficult, challenging, and emotionally triggering.

With research conclusively showing that any type of meditation can significantly improve mental health, as we observe World Mental Health Day on October 10, now is a wonderful time to begin a new meditative practice.

For more information on how to follow a Mindfulness meditation routine, visit How To Practice Mindfulness Meditation - Mindful

To learn the practice of Transcendental Meditation, visit The TM Course — Transcendental Meditation Canada

For guidance on how to start a Loving Kindness Meditation (LKM), visit What is Loving-Kindness Meditation and How to Start a Practice

Lorne Opler, M.Ed., CSCS, is an Adjunct Professor at Seneca College in Toronto, Ontario where he teaches Introductory

Nutrition. He has specific interests in the areas of exercise and mental health, nutrition and mental health, fitness for older adults and people with disabilities. His freelance fitness articles appear in Muscle and Fitness magazine, ACE Fitness, and the Washington Post. Visit his website at trainerlorne.com

I SAY MEDITATION, AND YOU SAY? “PEACEFUL” OR “STILLNESS”. OR MAYBE “NOPE, NOT FOR ME…NOT INTERESTED” OR “I’M JUST PLAIN BAD AT IT.”

SHOW UP AS YOUR BEST SELF

PRIORITIZE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND HELP YOUR CLIENTS THRIVE

By Krystal Say and Geoff Sullivan

HAVE YOU EVER CAUGHT YOURSELF PUSHING YOUR TROUBLES ASIDE BECAUSE OF THE COMMITMENT YOU MADE TO A CLIENT SESSION OR CLASS?

Perhaps deciding what is bothering you is not worthy of your attention because it feels less important than the current stressful situation a client is going through?

Being in the fitness and wellness

industry, we are in front of a LOT of people, and we may be the only time in someone’s day they feel seen and heard. With the safe space created, clients can feel an elevated level of comfort to open and share very personal information, often in the

realm of hardship. As time passes and relationships strengthen, it is hard not to bear the weight of what we have heard and carry that on our shoulders. Of course, we want them to be well!

Our industry is very demanding, often calling for long hours of work that require 100 percent of your attention. As a Wellness Professional, it is important to understand the impact that mental wellbeing plays for us and not just our clients - ensuring we prioritize our own mental health so we can ‘show up’ as the best version of ourselves.

For this discussion, let us define mental health as an internal equilibrium or steadiness. The ability to stay equanimous amongst adversity through recognizing and expressing one’s own emotions, to empathize with others, and to cope during stressful situations.

We love this definition! It sheds a positive light on mental health, but the real question is how do you recognize or measure one’s mental wellbeing with such a subjective definition?

First, let us define the role of Wellness Professional in the mental health arena:

• Prescribe and Guide: As a Wellness Professional your leading role is to program movement sessions to tailor to your clients’ needs. You give 100 percent of your attention to that individual for the duration of their session and ensure they are moving well and achieving their goals.

• Listen and Hold Space: Let us be honest, often the session will entail unforeseen chatting during that workout. That is ok, it comes with the occupation, often it may be exactly what that client needs that day. We are not here to offer advice, prescribe or predict for our clients. Defining our scope of practice and sticking to it is sometimes challenging but so critically important.

• Know Your Resources: Have

relationships with a solid lineup of local resources/professional outlets to support anyone who needs assistance outside of our scope of practice.

Now, let us talk about how to promote mental wellbeing with clients and stay within our scope of practice:

• An Integrated Approach: Educate your clients on the importance of mindful based practices such as meditation, yoga, moving with intention, and being in nature.

• Schedule Wisely: Work with your clients’ schedules to find the best days and times to train but make sure this serves YOUR needs as well.

♦ First, do not be afraid to tell them you cannot conduct a session at a certain time – telling your client “No” may just be what they need to hear. This boundary might give them permission to say “no” in a different area of their own life.

♦ If you know they have stressful days that require numerous meetings or little sleep – avoid intense movement practices.

• Who Showed Up: Listen, watch, and determine the level of energy your client showed up with that day and tailor the session to the body, physically and mentally, that they showed up with.

Finally, onto you, the fitness professional (we know it may be hard to hear but keep reading!).

With all the hours in front of clients and hearing all sorts of information, as professionals we want to make sure we are taking the time to clear, create boundaries, and maintain our mental wellbeing.

• What You Feel Matters: Comparison will stall your ability to heal. Listen to your emotions. As Wellness Professionals, we are also human, carrying the stressors of our own lives. Be careful that YOUR emotions do not get pushed aside because of the perception that someone else is going through

something ‘tougher’ or ‘harder’ than you.

• Hold That Space: Taking on your clients’ troubles as your own will, without a doubt, lead to burnout and even compassion fatigue. Be there for them, create the space for them to talk through things in a safe space but remember – there is nothing for you to fix.

• Create Boundaries: As defined, part of our mental wellbeing is being able to express our emotions once recognized. Scheduling time and space for yourself to recharge on a regular basis is critical for continued success! Remember that taking time for you means that when you are with your clients you can show up as the best version of yourself!

TRX Master Instructor Krystal Say is an adventure-seeking power yogi and co-owner of SWEAT Power Yoga in Massachusetts. Her advocacy for total wellness, passion for teaching and wanderlust has inspired her 15+ years of experience in the fitness and wellness industry and as an international educator. Known for her cueing techniques, Krystal is all things TRX and yoga. She believes that TRX Yoga creates the ultimate opportunity for people to move well and enhance their daily lives, fueling her drive within this industry every single day.

TRX Senior Instructor Geoff Sullivan is the Owner of Continuum Performance Center in Massachusetts and has invested his entire career focused on his passion of coaching, aiming to master his craft and treat every single person as a unique opportunity for success. He holds the ability to infuse scientific methodology and training protocols into a proper, effective, fun training program. Geoff has a B.Sc. in Exercise Science and holds credentials with the NSCA for CSCS, USAW- Level 1 Weightlifting Coach, PH 360- Mastery Series, FMS Level 1, as well as Meditation.

EXPLORING THE BENEFITS OF MENTAL FITNESS

CREATING AWARENESS OF INTERNAL PATTERNS THAT ARE HOLDING YOUR CLIENTS BACK

By Briana Bragg

Over the past two years, depression and anxiety disorders have increased by 25 percent globally and are continuing to rise, making mental health a discussion of importance. People are seeking solutions to assist with their mind as well as their physical health.

With the increasing awareness of the importance of mental health, many businesses in the fitness industry have recognized the potential benefits of offering programs and services that support both mental and physical health as a combination rather than the two standing alone.

Mental Fitness considers the health of one’s mind, not just the physical body. The mind affects the body, and the state of the body affects the mind. Research of the mind/body connection shows that they are not separate – rather they are unified, one has an impact on the other. Most of the experiences we have in life begin as a thought. Thoughts create an emotional response which then turns into a chemical reaction in the body of either good endorphins flowing, such as dopamine and serotonin, or a cocktail of cortisol and adrenaline which increases feelings of overwhelm and stress in the body.

This thought, emotion, chemical reaction feedback loop is a continuous process throughout the day, moment to moment repeating itself in cycles throughout our waking life. We are completely unaware of most of this cycle, until we begin practicing awareness.

We are a set of programs. From conception to age seven, our subconscious mind develops all its belief systems, behaviors, thought patterns, and emotional responses, identified as our internal programming. Just as a computer has internal software uploaded into it for use, so do we. The set of internal programs are the conditions for daily operation for the rest of our life, unless we choose to “uninstall” or “upgrade” the programming.

Why is Mental Fitness Important?

Fitness professionals work with clients who are on autopilot, running a set of programs they are unaware of. Internal thought patterns are either working for or against them, creating habits that positively affect their life or sabotaging habits that continue to create setbacks no matter how hard they are working out or physically working on their external physique. The inner dialogue one has within could be the very reason a client has plateaued or cannot create the physical results they want.

Many of us go through life unaware of the programming we are running, without knowledge of the need to change them or how to press the “update” button. Once we begin to identify our set of programs, we can choose to operate with the ones we want to keep and disregard the rest.

What is Mental Fitness?

Mental fitness is the discipline to create new habits, utilizing mental exercises that generate new ways of thinking, increase mental resilience, and strengthen the mind/body connection. Mental fitness includes modalities such as:

• Meditation which trains the mind to refocus.

• Neural pathway activation which creates new neural pathways and styles of thinking, creating a “cando attitude” in situations where the mind is weak.

• Mental reprogramming which updates the internal programming one is operating on both consciously and subconsciously.

• Awareness of current thought patterns, development of new thought patterns, and the inner work to delete the thought patterns that are no longer working in one’s favor.

• Letting go. Easier said than done. Letting go is a skill learned by un-attaching the feelings from the events that shaped who we are.

Working on the mind and whole body to create connection rather than disconnection improves results. Feeling good and looking good is more than a physical appearance, it requires addressing internal habits as well as the external.

By creating awareness of the internal patterns, addressing both the mind and the body, clients can shift their lifestyle habits to create the reality they have been searching for.

Briana Bragg is the intuitive and creative visionary behind a revolutionary process for healing the mind and body. She developed an integrative methodology to align the potential of the mind with nature’s abundant healing properties. Briana is an author, educator, and mentor, teaching meditation, mental fitness, and present moment living. Find Briana’s Mental Fitness course at medfitclassroom. org/transform and additional transformation courses on her website brianabragg.com/ transformation-university

MENTAL HEALTH, ALONG WITH PHYSICAL HEALTH, IS IMPORTANT FOR THE WHOLE MIND/BODY CONNECTION.

RESEARCH OF THE MIND/BODY CONNECTION SHOWS THAT THEY ARE NOT SEPARATE - RATHER THEY ARE UNIFIED...

JUST AS A COMPUTER HAS INTERNAL SOFTWARE UPLOADED INTO IT FOR USE, SO DO WE.

BECOMING TRAUMA AWARE - WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

CARVING A PATH FOR FEELINGS OF SECURITY AND CONNECTION

By Lisa Greenbaum

IT IS LIKELY THAT YOU HAVE HEARD THE BUZZ WORDS - TRAUMA-AWARE, TRAUMASENSITIVE, OR TRAUMAINFORMED. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ALL OF THESE AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT IN THE FITNESS AND WELLNESS INDUSTRY?

To be trauma-aware or traumasensitive is the same thing. It means you understand how our nervous system responds to trauma and how to help avoid triggers when working with your clients. To be traumainformed means you hold a certificate of training and have a deeper awareness of how to support your clients and work with them to move through their trauma with somatic practices.

Why is this important? Because at some point in our life, we will all undergo traumatic experiences. We will all experience nervous system dis-regulation, whether from a single event, multiple layered events, or simply ongoing long term chronic stress. We have come a long way as a society in our appreciation of taking care of our mental well-being, and this is an incredibly crucial step to help our overall ability for stress resiliency. But while, as fitness professionals, we want to encourage everyone to practice healthy habits, start exercising or eat better to help their mental state, we do not always have the tools we need to help those who potentially need us most.

Let us look at trauma’s impact on the body from the perspective of nervous system dis-regulation. Here, we are often looking at someone who is either stuck in the sympathetic nervous system, also known as fight/ flight, or a perpetual state of anger, anxiety, an overall tenseness or even fear. We want to guide our students to feel safe, to be able to relax and genuinely enjoy exercising to help it become a lifelong habit, but how do we get them here? For many, it is so much more than setting up proper alignment with a few words of encouragement along the way.

Firstly, I would like to say that every fit pro I know came to this industry with a passion for fitness and desire to help others, and this truly is the most important - your ability for kindness and compassion. From here, knowing what signs to look for in our clients when they are feeling distressed, even when appearing quite calm, is key. The most common sign is lack of eye contact or the inability to hold eye contact for more than a second at a time. When we can make and hold eye contact with another, this signifies that our social engagement system is on, and we feel safe. Think of anytime you are in a difficult conversation with someone and how hard it is to look at them, or they you. Also, if your client continues to tell you they are fine, or the experience is fine without any other dialogue, questions or comments that is often a sign that they are just trying to do what is being asked of them without causing additional stress. Stress in this case might be engaging in conversation, feelings of insecurity or not good enough, or even further dis-regulation from an increase in endorphins. Those who have experienced a recent trauma often struggle just as much when they start to feel good, because it is a confusing sensation for their body to process.

your cues while feeling overwhelmed by their senses. When someone wants to stand in a particular spot in the group fitness studio or tells you they do not want to be in a particular spot, respect that. Something as subtle as a fan or a particular scent could be triggering for them.

Learning to read our clients when they are feeling unsafe and having tools to help them regulate will not only serve their workouts but also help them feel empowered through the connection to themselves and others. This is what helps carve the path to longer held feelings of security and connection in other facets of life as well. If you are not taking a few minutes at the beginning and end of each session, class or practice for mindful breathing, please start. Just three to five minutes of deep diaphragmatic breathing or belly breathing helps us access our vagus nerve and parasympathetic nervous system, or rest and digest. In fact, anytime you or your client start to feel anxious or a bit off, breathe deeply. Try it right now and you will know exactly what I mean. It is all about the experience, and of course providing the very best and inspiring experiences for our clients.

Interested in learning more? Earn CECs on the two-hour online program: Become Trauma Aware. Or, for more in-depth learning, the six-day course: Yoga for Wellness and earn a TraumaInformed Certificate.

So, what can you do? Give your clients space. Give them a little extra physical space, but also give them some space energetically as well. First, while you might be guiding them through a workout or class, let them know that they are in charge. They have autonomy over their session or class by choosing different options or taking a break when they need to. And please, listen to them. A client who tells you the music is too loud is not just complaining, but more likely struggling to concentrate and listen to

Lisa Greenbaum, E-RYT 500 and Certified Yoga Therapist is the founder of Lisa Greenbaum Yoga + Wellness, a trauma-informed and philosophy first Yoga Education School offering 200 and 300-hr YTT certifications in Toronto and Ottawa. Lisa is an award-winning presenter and change maker with 20+ years of industry experience.

THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED A RECENT TRAUMA OFTEN STRUGGLE JUST AS MUCH WHEN THEY START TO FEEL GOOD…

HOW RUNNING LIKE AN ANIMAL MAKES US HUMAN

BASED ON THE TED TALK AND ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK, WORK OUT: THE REVOLUTIONARY METHOD OF CREATING A SOUND BODY TO CREATE A SOUND MIND

By Jason R. Karp, PhD, MBA

Instead, we are encouraged to work on our inner selves, to practice mindfulness, to meditate, and to get our minds right. Law of attraction followers say that our thoughts directly change our lives, that we can manifest what we want from the universe. Parents, teachers, Olympic athletes, and practically everyone else tell us we can achieve anything that we set our minds to. Prominent people tell us to start from our why and look inward to live our best life.

But this is incomplete.

We are physical animals, first.

If we focus on making our physical bodies strong, resilient, and enduring, that changes us on the inside. It strengthens our belief in ourselves and what we can do. It fills the hole created by insecurity.

This transformation is not some pseudo-holistic platitude, with false promises that making bigger biceps makes you confident and successful.

It is science.

By working on the outside, you can actually alter your physiology, change your brain chemistry, and change your outlook on life… and on yourself.

Many scientific studies have shown that exercise causes profound changes on the inside that positively affect your creativity, your cognition, and your confidence. From the opioids and cannabinoids released in the brain that cause a perceived euphoria—the “runner’s high”—to the increase in serotonin that makes exercise even more effective as prescription drugs for ameliorating depression, to neurogenesis—the formation of new neurons in the brain—that improves the way we think, including our problem-solving, creativity, memory, and learning. Research has shown that people perform better on tests of creative thinking after exercise compared to when the tests are taken without exercising first. Neurogenesis even occurs across different species—research has shown that mice given access to a running wheel for a few months have more than twice the number of new cells formed in their brains compared to mice with no access to a running wheel. Whether you are a mouse or a human, a sound body creates a sound mind.

Every human has three parts: Body, Brain, and Mind. When they work together and are equally balanced,

life is great and hums along the way life is supposed to. The Body would be strong, resilient, and enduring, the Brain would be buzzing with electrical activity, and the Mind would be analytical, confident, and emotionally intelligent, navigating challenges and figuring out solutions to problems.

Unfortunately, few people are blessed with such a balance. Body, Brain, and Mind often work in conflict with one another. They all want to be the boss.

But there can be only one boss. And the Body is the boss.

While the Brain oversees your Body’s entire operation, it works in service to your Body. Your Brain evolved from your Body’s movements to regulate your Body and manage its physiology so that it can efficiently move and interact with the world around you. Walking and running on two legs, which evolved from the anatomical change in the pelvis and is among the most complex and sophisticated of all physical movements, was the basis for the evolution of your Brain. Physical activity is so essential to your Brain that it is imperative for it to function properly.

When we lose the ability to move the Body, we lose our Chief Executive Officer, and mental health— the functioning of the Brain and the Mind—rapidly declines.

To live life fully, you need to see the Body and the Brain being interconnected parts of the same entity, of the same human experience. When you do, you can know all that needs to be known.

The Body and the Brain are two parts of the same physical living being. Just because there is something unique about human cognition does not mean the Brain is independent from the Body. Our efforts to understand the nature of the human Brain should, therefore, be commensurate with our efforts to understand the nature of the Body and, ultimately, the nature of life.

Your heart, your muscles, your Brain, and all your other organs are all parts. They mean little by themselves. You cannot understand the value of

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN CHASING OTHER ANIMALS FOR FOOD AND CLICKING A MOUSE TO PURCHASE A TOASTER OVEN ON AMAZON, WE STOPPED LIVING A PHYSICAL LIFE.

… SCIENTIFIC STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT EXERCISE CAUSES PROFOUND CHANGES ON THE INSIDE THAT POSITIVELY AFFECT YOUR CREATIVITY, YOUR COGNITION, AND YOUR CONFIDENCE …

life’s process by separating the parts from the process, or the process from the parts. When you separate the parts from the process, there is no process; there are only parts. Parts without a process have no motion, no purpose. They are lifeless. Instead of being like life, filled with motion and purpose, they are the antithesis of life.

To fully understand the role each part plays in your life, in the way you see and interact with the world, you must see the Brain as part of your whole physical existence, not separate from the whole, not working at your desk, by itself. Your Brain never works by itself. Never.

While the cells in your other organs, like your heart and kidneys, perform their assigned functions and do not represent any other cells or functions, the cells of your Brain represent and even control functions occurring elsewhere in your Body. The Brain works with your heart, with your kidneys, with your muscles, with

your lungs, with your blood vessels, with your sensory neurons on your fingertips, and with every other part of your Body to create your physical existence, to enable the whole process to work.

TRAINING THE BODY CHANGES THE BRAIN, WHICH AFFECTS THE MIND.

And it works the process by converting inputs from all its neurons, synapses, and neurotransmitters to outputs to create the thoughts, ideas, and perceptions that make up your Mind.

Training the Body changes the Brain, which affects the Mind. Training the Body eliminates the conflict between Body, Brain, and Mind, making all three parts work in harmony.

There are times in your life that will test you, that will throw you on your back. But if you remember where you

came from, if you remember that you are indeed an animal with biology similar to that of many other animals, then you remember that to live life fully, you must fully live physically. And then you can train your Body to change your Brain to affect your Mind, connecting the three parts of yourself that create your earthly existence.

authored 15 books and more than 400 articles and is a TED speaker. His run coaching certification was obtained by fitness professionals in 26 countries before being acquired by ISSA. Work Out and his other books are available on Amazon.

“As a premium athlete that has to train daily, magnesium supplements are critical for my success. Especially as I recover from my recent injury, using Boltons Naturals skin products gets magnesium directly into my muscles for recovery. Not only are the products the best there is, but they also donate 100% of their profits to fight poverty.”

Jason Karp, PhD, MBA, is a

Penny Oleksiak - World champion swimmer and Canada’s most decorated Olympian

Improving Your Breath to Improve Your Performance

THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM BREATHE, FOCUS, EXCEL BY HARVEY MARTIN

AS YOU START TO UNDERSTAND YOUR BREATH AND HOW YOU CAN USE IT IN YOUR ATHLETIC PERFORMANCES, YOU MUST START WITH AWARENESS. AS AN ATHLETE AND HIGH-LEVEL PERFORMER, YOUR MAIN OBJECTIVE IS TO IMPROVE.

What you can measure, you can progress, and as humans progress in activities, they go back to them. Think of a person starting a weightlifting program who finds immediate results in that process. As their muscles grow, they find the weight room less intimidating and more attractive, making it easier to continue and to improve.

So how do you create progress in your breathing? Start with the diaphragm. It’s the key muscle used in breathing and needs to be worked just like any other muscle, but working this muscle can be frustrating because you can’t see or feel that it grew like you can with the biceps after a series of curls. Therefore, you must go deeper into how you perceive progress in breathing.

Breathing, like anything else that athletes do, is a skill. We can improve our breathing, just as we can improve our squat. The beauty of breath practice, however, is that it is more than a mechanical skill. It also contributes to improvements in overall health. In recent years, we have learned that practicing breathing can control our autonomic nervous system, which regulates involuntary processes. Control over this system allows us to regulate other automatic systems in our body, such as heart rate, digestion, and blood circulation.

All of these play a tremendous role in our health and natural ability to build immunity. By mastering the breath, we can take ownership of our health, which is a human superpower.

Beyond improving the mechanics of physical performance, breathing gives us direct access to our brains. Three main systems in the brain are directly affected by the breath: the brainstem, which is the most ancient part of the brain; the limbic system, which controls the emotional center of the brain; and the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for reasoning, problemsolving, comprehension, impulse control, creativity, and perseverance— the things that make us human and separate us from other animals.

levels are why this area of the brain focuses on homeostasis. If the body feels out of sync, the areas in the brainstem will work to correct that.

The limbic system generates emotional ripple effects that are affected by the way we breathe. Shallow, rapid, inefficient breathing can put us in a weakened, reactionary state where we can’t control our emotions. Deep, slow breathing can create a controlled, responsive state where we have a grip on our emotions.

Regulation of breathing is an instinctual function that takes place in the brainstem and is mainly unconscious. Its main role is to keep the body at homeostasis, which is keeping the physiological systems in balance. Although the involuntary mechanism of breath control is not entirely understood, we know it involves neural signals in respiratory centers that are located in the medulla and pons, which sit just above the spinal cord. These centers control the movement and timing of the breath as well as the rhythm. Overall, this area of the brain fine-tunes the ventilation rate. The respiratory center in the brainstem is affected by high levels of carbon dioxide and low pH. These

Finally, the prefrontal cortex, which is where decision-making and reasoning take place, allows for voluntary and intentional control of breathing. Voluntary control moves breathing from an unconscious state to a conscious state. This is where breathing becomes the ultimate separator in human evolution: We have the unique ability to control our lives by how we breathe. When we focus on our breath, we start to control our ability to think better, and thinking better gives us, as athletes, a competitive advantage.

WE CAN IMPROVE OUR BREATHING, JUST AS WE CAN IMPROVE OUR SQUAT.

THE YOUNGEST WEIGHTLIFTING CHAMPION IN THE WORLD

CANADIAN RORY VAN ULFT IS BREAKING RECORDS AND HAVING FUN

RORY VAN ULFT AND HER COACHES SPENCER MOORMAN

AND CIERRA MANSERGH PRESENTED AT CANFITPRO 2023 GLOBAL CONFERENCE & TRADE SHOW WITH AN INTRODUCTION TO YOUTH WEIGHTLIFTING MOVEMENTS THAT HELP BUILD STRENGTH AND ATHLETICISM. WE HAD THE CHANCE TO CHAT WITH RORY AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS INCREDIBLE 10-YEAR-OLD.

When did you become interested in weightlifting?

When I was five years old, I got the chance to try out for a competitive gymnastics team. My parents had this idea to use weightlifting to make me stronger for gymnastics and reduce the risk of me getting hurt. It totally worked! Once I started, it turned out that I was really good at it and had fun doing it.

What motivates you?

I compete against myself - it is an awesome feeling to push myself to the limit and get as many personal bests as I can. It does not matter which lift it is—I just want to do better than I did yesterday. That is the key to making progress in this sport, I think.

How do you balance your fitness, school, and social life?

It is hard, but my family, friends and teachers help make it happen. Weightlifting makes me stronger faster than regular gymnastics conditioning, which gives me more time for school and hanging out with friends. My school and teachers are flexible when assigning work, especially when there is a big competition coming up. I try to make as much time as I can for my friends and family. They are really supportive and help me figure out fun ways to spend time together so that I do not miss out.

What adversity have you faced being a young, female weightlifter?

It is hard. Sometimes, it feels like the sport does not pay much attention to us younger and lighter lifters, especially the girls. We always get early weigh-in and session times, competitions usually do not line up well with school schedules, and sometimes our weight categories get left out of the big competitions. Plus, there is a rule that you must be 13 for international teams, and since I am only 10, it will still be a while before I can compete on the world stage. So, there are fewer chances for me to compete. It can be tough, and sometimes I feel like I am not always welcome at events. But I keep going because I know I deserve to be there.

Tell us about two of your top goals? Gymnastics is my passion, and I am all about getting better so that I can see how far I can go in that sport. I hope to improve to the point where I can compete at college level someday. As for weightlifting, I just need to stay healthy and keep increasing my weight as much as I can so I can compete on the global stage one day. Right now, I am the strongest under 40kg weightlifter in the world, so the age minimum is the only thing holding me back. If weightlifting stays in the Olympics, my biggest goal is making it onto an Olympic team.

What is your favourite way to unwind/provide self-care?

I just do normal kid stuff; Play outside, read books, watch TV, and play video games with my little brother. I like to build Lego, make craft jewelry, draw and paint—all those sorts of things. My absolute favourite thing to do is visit theme parks, though. We usually take a family vacation after big sports competitions, when I am in great shape for long days walking through the parks and going on thrill rides. It is a great reward!

their own achievements.

What is your favourite part of your weightlifting career?

The highlight of my weightlifting year is always lifting with my American teammates during US Nationals Week. It is so exciting. Where I live, there are few kids my age who do weightlifting like I do. So, being with the team, catching up with friends, and making new ones—it is like stepping into a whole new world.

What is the significance of the designs you sport on your arms while competing?

Who inspires you?

For me, it is all about the people around me—my coaches, teammates, and my closest competitors. They show me what is possible and motivate me to keep getting better. Right now, in gymnastics, Leanne Wong stands out as a role model who has been successful in both elite and college competitions and still manages to have fun. In weightlifting, my motivation mainly comes from athletes who are great at the Clean & Jerk, like Om Yun-Chol and Long De Cheng. I also follow Kuinini Manumua super closely - she is a member of my American club team who made it to the Olympics in Tokyo. I am also lucky to have an amazing community of online supporters who are always cheering me on and inspiring me with

When I first started competing, I was too small to fit into any commercially available weightlifting singlets. The only thing we could find in my size was a plain black toddler boys’ “pro wrestler” Halloween costume. All the other girls I was competing against wore bright colours or superhero designs, and I did not really feel like I was able to express myself the same way, so adding temporary tattoos was a way of adding some colour to my outfit and showing off my personality. I just choose whichever ones jump out at me most on the day, but I am usually drawn to designs with animals, flowers, or skulls - they all look cool! Tattoos make me instantly recognizable at events, so I have kept up with it, even though nowadays I am lucky to have great designers working with me to make what I think are easily the best-looking singlets on the planet right now.

Describe what your future looks like in five years.

It’s really hard to think that far ahead! I just try to take things in both my sports one day at a time, one rep at a time, and see what becomes possible. In five years, I will be starting high school, and hope to still be healthy and continue to improve my gymnastics skills to get a scholarship. In weightlifting, I hope to still be putting up numbers at the elite level and being able to show what I can do on the international stage. But most importantly, I want to still be having fun!

@roryvanulft

IT DOES NOT MATTER WHICH LIFT IT IS—I JUST WANT TO DO BETTER THAN I DID YESTERDAY.

FUELING CHILD ATHLETES

NUTRITION CONSIDERATIONS TO SUPPORT GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT, AND ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE

By Angela Wallace, MSC, RD

BEING ACTIVE FROM AN EARLY AGE HAS MANY BENEFITS.

Regular physical activity can help children and adolescents build strong bones and muscles, improve cardiovascular fitness, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases. We certainly want to encourage and support activity in our youth; however, we also want to ensure they are being fueled in a way that supports growth, development, and athletic performance.

Below I am sharing seven key nutrients and nutrition considerations that are important for any active child (six to 12 years of age).

1. Carbohydrates: We can call these ‘energy’ foods, foods that give their body the energy needed to perform optimally and

be active. Sources of energy foods include whole grains, fruits, starchy vegetables such as potatoes, granola, and granola bars.

2. Hydration: Staying properly hydrated is crucial for athletes to maintain performance and prevent dehydration. Water is the best choice, but during prolonged or intense exercise, sports or electrolyte containing beverages may be beneficial.

3. Electrolytes: During intense physical activity (lots of sweat lost), electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium are lost through sweat. These minerals help maintain proper fluid balance (keeping you hydrated), nerve function, and muscle contraction. It is important to ensure that children are eating

electrolyte-rich foods before and after activity such as bananas, oranges, avocados, spinach, yogurt, etc. And depending on their activity level, you might consider an electrolyte beverage or sports drink.

4. Protein: It is crucial for growth, repair, and maintenance of body tissues. It is particularly important to include in post activity meals or snacks. Reliable sources of protein include lean meats, poultry, eggs, dairy products, legumes, nuts/seeds, and tofu.

5. Calcium: It is essential for building strong bones and teeth, especially during childhood. It also helps nerves, muscles, and the heart work optimally. Athletes generally have increased calcium loss through sweat. Higher losses require higher intake to meet the

demands of the body. Inadequate intake can impact bone health, growth, and development for children.

It is important to ensure they are eating foods rich in calcium such as dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt), almonds, dark leafy greens, sardines, fortified dairy products such as almond or oat milk. If the athletic child is also a fussy eater, a multivitamin containing calcium can be considered.

6. Iron: This is a critical mineral that plays a role in transporting oxygen throughout the body, supporting energy levels, and enzymatic reactions. Active children (especially those involved in sports), have higher iron requirements to support their increased muscle mass and oxygen demand. During growth spurts children will have increased iron needs to support the development of new red blood cells and muscle tissue. In addition, as females start

Pre-Sport/Activity

menstruating, blood loss can contribute to decreased iron stores. Both growth and being a female can increase risk of deficiency.

Iron is found in two forms: heme iron (found in animal sources like meat) and non-heme iron (found in plant-based sources like dark leafy greens and legumes). Both are reliable sources, but heme iron is more readily, and easily, absorbed in the body.

To ensure that active children have adequate iron levels, it is essential to focus on a diet that includes iron-rich foods such as lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, lentils, tofu, dark leafy greens, and fortified cereals. Combining iron-rich foods with vitamin C rich foods (citrus fruits, tomatoes, bell peppers, etc.) can help enhance iron absorption.

7. Vitamin D: It plays a vital role in bone health by helping the body absorb calcium. It can be obtained from direct sunlight

Timing: Aim to have a pre-sport meal 1-3 hours prior. This gives the body time to digest.

Carbohydrates: Always include these in your pre sport meals. Prioritize easily digestible carbs that will provide their body with a quick source of energy. For example, whole grain bread, oatmeal, smoothies, fruits, and pasta.

Hydration: Ensure they are drinking water before the activity to support optimal hydration.

Protein: Include protein in their meals throughout the day for muscle repair and growth.

Example pre-sport meals/snacks:

• Fruit based smoothie (can include yogurt, berries, banana, etc.)

• Oatmeal topped with sliced fruits and sprinkled with nuts and seeds.

• Pasta with chicken and veggies

(early morning exposure is wonderful for this), fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines), fortified dairy products and plantbased milk alternatives. During Canadian winters, this still may not be enough. I generally advise supplementing. Depending on the child’s age, the amount would range between 400-1000 IU per day.

Providing appropriate pre and post sport meals will support the child’s energy levels, performance, and recovery. I am sharing a few general considerations below.

Angela Wallace is a registered dietitian, certified canfitpro PTS and family food expert. She specializes in nutrition for women and families. She loves helping families feel their best and enjoy meals together. You can learn more about Angela at eatrightfeelright.ca or follow her on IG @nutrition.for.families

Post-Sport/Activity

Timing: Aim to provide a post-meal or snack 30-60 minutes after the activity to replenish energy stores and support muscle recovery.

Carbohydrates: Include carbohydrates in their post activity meal to support glycogen store replenishment. This could include whole grains, fruits, rice, sweet potatoes, etc.

Hydration: Rehydrate with fluid containing both water and electrolytes lost through sweat. Water is usually enough but consider a sports drink or coconut water after intense or prolonged activity.

Protein: It is ideal to also include protein in the postsport meal or snack. For example, lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, lentils, tofu, eggs, dairy products, and nuts/ seeds.

Example post-sport meals/snacks:

• Whole grain wrap with hummus, chicken, and veggies

• Greek yogurt bowl with nuts/seeds and berries

• Chicken tenders with sweet potato fries and veggies

By Carol Harrison, RD

But do they realize that starting in our 40s, we naturally start to lose muscle mass, strength, and function? That puts us at greater risk later in life for falls and makes everyday activities like getting groceries a challenge. We cannot stop this loss of muscle, but we can slow it down, and being proactive starting in our 40s is key! Here is how nutrition can work in tandem with your resistance training programs to help your clients enjoy more active years as they age.

What is sarcopenia?

The term “sarcopenia” was introduced in 1988 as a term for age-related muscle loss. In recent years, the definition has expanded to encompass the loss of skeletal muscle function, including strength. For healthy aging adults (no illness/injury), sarcopenia results in a gradual but progressive three to eight percent loss in muscle mass per decade.

The causes of sarcopenia are not well understood, but they may include a sedentary lifestyle, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal changes, and the body producing fewer proteins. For example, adults who do not do strength training regularly can lose four to six pounds of muscle per decade, according to Harvard Medical School.

Evidence-based nutritional strategies

Researchers from the Exercise Metabolism Research Group, Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, recently reviewed the scientific literature to provide an up to date, evidence-based account of nutritional strategies to enhance resistance training to combat agerelated muscle mass loss. They found that consuming sufficient high-quality (and leucine-rich) protein throughout the day and combining it with a resistance-exercise routine is the most well-supported determinant to improve, or at least maintain, skeletal

muscle mass and function with advancing age.

Clients may ask which protein-rich foods to eat. It is important to eat a varied diet, but in general, animal sources of protein provide a higher quality and quantity of protein, compared to plant sources. Animal protein (such as beef, dairy, eggs, and fish) and the protein in soy foods is considered high-quality or complete proteins because they provide all nine essential amino acids.

spread our protein intake throughout the day — 25 to 30 g of high-quality protein per meal or 0.4 g/kg per meal.

CALLOUT: Total protein per meal matters. Muscle protein synthesis in older adults may be blunted in meals with less than 20 g of protein.

Here are three nutritious meal ideas that include foods that contain the amino acid leucine and have 25 to 30 g of protein—proof that you can get enough protein from food:

• Breakfast: ¾ cup cooked oatmeal (5 g) + 1 hard-cooked egg (6 g) + smoothie with ¼ cup silken tofu (3 g) + ½ cup blueberries (1 g) and 1 cup milk (9 g) + 1 tbsp almond butter (3 g)

Plant-based proteins (except soy) have a limited amount of one or more essential amino acids and lower protein digestibility scores due to the higher fibre and other antinutritional factors also present in the plants. If your clients eat little to no animal-based foods, it is vital they combine plant-protein options such as beans, nuts, lentils, whole grains, and vegetables throughout the day along with some complete protein sources such as soy-based foods (tofu and edamame) to get a balance of essential amino acids.

CALLOUT: Emphasize protein foods naturally rich in the amino acid leucine, such as beef, soy, cheese, poultry, fish, and nuts. Leucine is known to stimulate muscle protein synthesis.

Protein requirements beyond RDA

Substantial research supports the need for higher protein intakes than the 0.8 g/kg/day recommended for adults by Health Canada. Healthy adults should aim for 1.2–1.6 g/ kg/day to slow age-related muscle loss as well as maximize athletic performance and improve satiety.

To maximize muscle protein synthesis, researchers also recommend we

• Lunch: 75 g grilled beef strips (26 g) + 1 cup stir-fry veggies (3 g) + ½ cup cooked brown rice (3 g)

• Dinner: 75 g baked trout (19 g) + 1 cup roasted mixed veggies (3 g) + ½ cup cooked quinoa (4 g) + ¼ cup cooked lentils (4 g)

The role of nutrition in slowing down muscle loss as we age is an area of active study. In the decade ahead, we will likely see developments like consensus in the international medical community on how to define and diagnose sarcopenia, as well as more doctors prescribing resistance exercises and guidelines that are based on whole foods versus a single-nutrient approach. For now, we know that a combination of resistance exercise and a diet with protein-rich foods can help to slow down agerelated muscle loss— and the earlier we start, the stronger we will be.

Carol Harrison is a registered dietician who loves her daily workouts! She has a food nutrition communications company in Toronto. For more recipes, healthy hacks or article suggestions, connect with Carol on IG @CarolHarrison.RD

YOUR CLIENTS LIKELY KNOW THAT WHEN IT COMES TO MUSCLE, THE SAYING “USE IT OR LOSE IT” ABSOLUTELY APPLIES.

SUBSTANTIAL RESEARCH SUPPORTS THE NEED FOR HIGHER PROTEIN INTAKES THAN THE 0.8 G/KG/DAY RECOMMENDED FOR ADULTS ...

RALENTIR LA PERTE MUSCULAIRE LIÉE À L’ÂGE

DES STRATÉGIES NUTRITIONNELLES ÉPROUVÉES POUR PLUS D’ANNÉES ACTIVES

par Carol Harrison, Nutritionniste

VOS CLIENTS DOIVENT SUREMENT SAVOIR QUE LORSQU’IL EST QUESTION DE MUSCULATURE, LE DICTON

« SI TU NE LES UTILISES PAS, TU LES PERDRAS » S’AVÈRE. Mais sont-ils conscients que dès l’âge de 40 ans, nous vivons une diminution de notre masse, de notre force, et de nos fonctions musculaires ? Ce qui entraine un risque accru de chuter et qui rend

plus difficiles les tâches de la vie quotidienne comme faire l’épicerie. Nous ne pouvons rien faire pour empêcher cette perte musculaire, mais nous pouvons la ralentir et être proactifs dès l’âge de 40 ans !

Voici comment la nutrition peut travailler en tandem avec des programmes d’entrainement en résistance pour aider vos clients à

profiter d’une vie active pendant encore plusieurs années.

Qu’est-ce que la sarcopénie ?

Le terme « sarcopénie » a été introduit en 1988 pour définir la perte musculaire liée à l’âge. Dans les dernières années, la définition a été élargie pour englober la perte de fonctions musculo-squelettiques incluant la force. Chez les adultes

en santé (sans maladies ni blessure), la sarcopénie représente une perte graduelle, mais progressive de trois à huit pour cent de la masse musculaire par décennie.

Les causes de la sarcopénie sont encore obscures, mais elles peuvent inclure un mode de vie sédentaire, des déficiences nutritionnelles, des changements hormonaux, et la diminution de production de protéines par l’organisme. Par exemple, selon l’école de médecine de Harvard (Harvard Medical School), les adultes qui ne font pas d’entrainement musculaire régulièrement peuvent perdre de quatre à six livres de muscles par décennie.

Des stratégies nutritionnelles éprouvées

Des chercheurs du groupe de recherche sur le métabolisme de l’exercice (Exercise Metabolism Research Group) du département de kinésiologie de l’université McMaster (McMaster University), ont récemment passé en revue toute la littérature s’y rapportant dans le but de fournir un compte rendu actualisé et éprouvé des stratégies nutritionnelles visant à favoriser l’entrainement en résistance comme moyen de combattre la perte musculaire liée à l’âge. Ils ont constaté que de consommer suffisamment de protéines de grande qualité (et riches en leucines) tout au long de la journée et de combiner cette diète à une routine d’exercices en résistance est la stratégie la mieux supportée pour améliorer, ou à tout le moins maintenir, la masse et les fonctions des muscles squelettiques en vieillissant.

Vos clients pourraient demander quels aliments riches en protéines consommer. Il est essentiel d’adopter une diète variée, mais en général, les protéines de source animale sont de meilleure qualité et en plus grande quantité lorsque comparées aux protéines végétales. Les protéines animales (comme le bœuf, les produits laitiers, les œufs, et le poisson) et les protéines d’aliments faits à base de soya sont considérées des protéines de haute qualité ou complètes parce qu’elles fournissent les neuf acides

aminés essentiels.

Les protéines végétales (à l’exception du soya) ont une quantité limitée d’un ou de plusieurs acides aminés essentiels et un taux de digestibilité des protéines plus faible en raison de la présence plus importante de fibres et d’autres facteurs antinutritionnels également présents. Si vos clients ne mangent que peu d’aliments de source animale, il est crucial qu’ils combinent les options végétales comme les légumineuses, les noix, les lentilles, les grains entiers, et les légumes tout au long de la journée à des sources de protéines complètes comme des aliments à base de soya (tofu et edamames) pour obtenir un équilibre d’acides aminés essentiels.

Faites-leur remarquer l’importance de consommer des protéines naturellement riches en acides aminés leucines, comme le bœuf, le soya, le fromage, la volaille, le poisson, et les noix. La leucine est reconnue pour stimuler la synthèse des protéines musculaires.

Exigences en protéines au-delà des recommandations nutritionnelles D’importantes recherches appuient le besoin d’un apport en protéines plus important que les 0,8 g/kg/jour recommandés pour les adultes par Santé Canada. Un adulte en santé devrait viser 1,2 à 1,6 g/kg/jour pour ralentir la perte musculaire liée à l’âge, maximiser ses performances athlétiques, et favoriser sa satiété.

Afin d’optimiser la synthèse des protéines musculaires, les chercheurs recommandent également de répartir notre consommation de protéines tout au long de la journée — de 25 à 30 g de protéines de haute qualité à chaque repas ou 0,4 g/kg par repas.

CALLOUT: Le total de protéines consommées à chaque repas est important. La synthèse des protéines musculaires chez les adultes plus âgés peut être ralentie par des repas contenant moins de 20 g de protéines.

Voici trois idées de repas nutritifs qui

incluent des aliments contenant des acides aminés leucines et qui ont de 25 à 35 g de protéines, preuve qu’il est possible de consommer suffisamment de protéines dans un repas :

• Petit déjeuner : ¾ t. de gruau (5 g) + 1 œuf cuit dur (6 g) + 1 smoothie fait de ¼ t. de tofu soyeux (3 g) + ½ t. de bleuets (1 g) + 1 t. de lait (9 g) + 1 c. à table de beurre d’amandes (3 g)

• Dîner : 75 g de languettes de bœuf grillées (26 g) + 1 t. de légumes sautés (3 g) + ½ t. de riz brun suit (3 g)

• Souper : 75 g de truite cuite au four (19 g) + 1 t. de légumes mixtes grillés (3 g) + ½ t. de quinoa (4 g) + ¼ t. de lentilles (4 g)

Le rôle que joue la nutrition dans le ralentissement de la perte musculaire liée à l’âge est un sujet toujours à l’étude. Au cours des dix prochaines années, il n’y a aucun doute que nous assisterons à une évolution des consensus au sein de la communauté médicale internationale sur la manière de définir la sarcopénie, ainsi qu’à une augmentation du nombre de médecins qui prescrivent les exercices en résistance et qui feront des recommandations pour adopter une alimentation composée d’aliments entiers plutôt qu’une approche basée sur un seul aliment. Pour l’instant, nous savons que la combinaison d’un entrainement en résistance à une diète à base d’aliments riches en protéines peut ralentir la perte musculaire liée à l’âge, et plus tôt nous adopterons cette approche, plus longtemps nous serons forts.

Carol Harrison est une nutritionniste diplômée qui adore ses entrainements quotidiens ! Elle possède une entreprise en communication de l’alimentation à Toronto. Pour obtenir des recettes, des astuces santé, ou des suggestions d’articles, connectezvous au compte Instagram de Carol au @CarolHarrison.RD

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