English OPS Fit Newsletter

OPS Fit OUTCAN Personnel Staying Fit

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In this issue: OUTCAN Member Profile Capt Andrea Wookey............................... 2 Justin’s a Fighter!!!................................... 4 OUTCAN Spouses Being Active.............. 6 CDAO Kenya and CFIOG Ft Meade........ 8 CAF Sports Day 2019.............................. 9 Do plant-based burgers deserve a ‘health halo?’...................................................... 12

Fit (OUTCAN Personnel Staying Start: StandWelcome over sandbag to withOPS feet wide.

You can substitute a med ball, weight plate, or other weight.

Fit), the quarterly OUTCAN Physical Fitness Program

Action: Bend down to pick up the SB while keeping back flat and chest up. Grab the SB and extend the newsletter. knees and hips while the core engaged and information back flat. At the top, place the Thiskeeping newsletter contains SB on one shoulder.

related to healthy living and physical fitness training End: Drop the SB back to the floor and repeat for other side shoulder for reps. for OUTCAN personnel and their families.

Muscles worked: quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, hip flexors, abdominals, lattisimus dorsi, deltoids, biceps

Canadian Adults Get a D from ParticipACTION..................................... 15 MPSS Detachment Commander Runs The Great Ethiopian Run............................... 16 Maintain a healthy lifestyle when you’re stationed in Europe................................ 18

If you have any questions, input, or material you would like included in this section please contact Todd Cirka, VCDS OUTCAN Physical Fitness Coordinator at Todd.Cirka@forces.gc.ca or at 613-852-7059.

Upcoming events Jan-Mar 2020............ 20 Monthly OUTCAN Fitness and Health Initiatives................................................ 20 Featured Exercise Sand Bag Shouldering............................ 21

OPS Fit Newsletter • Volume 12 • Issue 1 • Januar y 2020

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OUTCAN Member Profile

Capt Andrea Wookey

Junior Army Logistics Training Advisor, Army Logistics Centre of Excellence Ft Bragg, North Carolina see physio daily in order to even be able to stand up remotely straight, we replaced my rifle with a cane, and I stopped sleeping because it hurt too much.

Like many soldiers in the army, I suffered from injuries that got progressively worse due to normal wear and tear and not taking the time to heal. Whether it was on an Spartan style obstacle race with 2 Combat Engineer Regiment in 2013 when I went up on a rope and came down on a stump, or when I finished the 21km ruck march with 2 CMBG in 2014 after having been off any physical training for 5 months due to a bad concussion, or weight training in the gym, somewhere along the line I badly injured my back and did not give it the appropriate time to heal.

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An avid horseback rider, a dedicated Army Logistics Captain and someone who just plain enjoyed sports and fitness, I wasn’t ready early on to take the time I needed to heal. When I had the opportunity to leave Ottawa in 2016 and move back home to my spouse and the field force in Petawawa, I jumped all over it. Unfortunately, I wasn’t really capable of jumping anywhere, not on my horse or off the back of a truck, and my back injury flared up in a major way.

The first month back with the field force, we were on exercise and while I stayed out the entire time as the 2IC for my Company, it was not without issues. I had to

This all became fairly standard for me over the next 2 years. I was placed on a TCAT to try and give myself time to heal, but still went to the field. I stopped riding completely, was unable to do any type of physical fitness, gained weight, became depressed and couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately, neither could my primary care doctors, and so they wanted to start the process for release. I decided to take matters into my own hands, and found a massage therapist who was able to find me some relief with twice weekly sessions, so that I could start walking again. First with a cane, I would make it 200m to the top of the trail by our house. Then I would get to the bottom, and eventually made it a full km. I refused to take a single day off work, even when flare ups would make it so that it took me 30 minutes to traverse what would normally be a 5 minute walk from my car to my office. I figured out quickly that the more active I was, in low impact methods,

OPS Fit Newsletter • Volume 12 • Issue 1 • Januar y 2020

OUTCAN Member Profile continued

the better it would be. I got a new boss, who refused to let me go to the field, no matter how much I fought him. I found a new physical therapist, who tried different ways to release the pain in my back, and I started doing yoga with her again too. I swam.

I did Pilates. I boxed. I started doing body weight training. My walks turned into runs.

Then my Primary Care Nurse told me she was ready to put me on a PCAT for release. I had been on two TCATs, and she truly felt that the stress of attempting a fitness test or ruck march would be catastrophic for me. I had given up so much in my life for my career, it was not the way I wanted to go out. I begged her to do a low risk PCAT. I understood needing something permanent, if I wanted to enjoy the rest of my life, putting a ruck on my back and heading out for 20km wasn’t in my future. I realized that would limit my employment opportunities, I would never become an OC of a Field Unit, my time in the Service Battalions I loved would be over.

I knew though, that I could still serve, still do fitness tests, and still be a valuable member of the

logistics branch. She listened to me, thankfully, probably because I had graduated from not using a cane! That was in the fall of 2017.

In 2018, I passed my fitness test. I ran a 5km race. Then a 10km race. We got posted to North Carolina, and I was and still am working remotely. I started trail running. Hot yoga.

Riding my horse again. Riding multiple horses a day. Spent my weekends volunteering and building jump courses all day long. Listened to my back and what I needed of it. In two years I went from emergency room visits, falling on the floor and not being able to physically get up for 4 hours, having muscle spasms that lasted days and brought me to the lowest point in my life to where I am now. Easily passing my fitness test. Deadlifting my weight. Hitting PR’s at the gym on a weekly basis. Training for a ½ marathon. Spending every free moment I am not at work being physically active with my dogs, horses, husband and volunteer work. I could be medically released right now. I had a choice 2 years ago to let a career ending back injury win. I went

from my lowest point to steadily working towards my highest. I haven’t hit it yet. Maybe it will be when I finish my half marathon. I doubt it though. I will have a new goal, a new mountain to surpass.

At the end of the day though, it doesn’t matter to me whether I am the strongest or the fastest.

I don’t compete to win against anyone but myself. Every day that I am able to get out of bed unassisted, lace up my shoes (or zip up my riding boots) and start my day off with physical fitness, is a day that I have already won the race.

OPS Fit Newsletter • Volume 12 • Issue 1 • Januar y 2020

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JUSTIN’S A FIGHTER!!!

MJ Meyers, Tinker AFB, OK

Justin underwent five cycles of chemo, three blood transfusions and endless scans and tests.

Throughout the process, he was a fabulous patient and always kept an amazingly positive attitude.

Chemotherapy produced positive results, killing the active cancer cells. Unfortunately, that would only be the first step as Justin then needed 14 sessions of proton radiation therapy to decrease the size of his tumors and improve his chances of long-term remission.

At 12yrs of age, our son Justin was diagnosed with stage four cancer, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

At the time of diagnosis, his only complaint was a sore armpit; however, after an ultrasound and PET scan we were surprised to learn that Justin’s torso was littered with active cancer cells and tumors.

Within a week of his diagnosis, he underwent surgery to take biopsies and have a port implanted in his chest to facilitate chemotherapy. Over the next five months,

While Justin was going though cancer treatment, his health care teams were marvelous. Through every step, they explained each procedure as well as the numerous side effects he would encounter as a result of the chemo drugs. When you’re in the middle of the fight, taking every day minute by minute, you really don’t grasp the gravity of how some of these side effects may have lifelong impacts.

Justin continues to have numerous health issues related to the chemo medications including daily nausea, gastro issues, and overall fatigue.

His most concerning side effect has been muscle atrophy (reduction in muscle mass) which has impacted his walking, coordination and general stamina. Almost 2 yrs post radiation, Justin continues to endure physiotherapy sessions twice a week to try and rebuild his muscle tone

OPS Fit Newsletter • Volume 12 • Issue 1 • Januar y 2020

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Justin’s a fighter!!! continued

and function. While it has been a slow process, he continues to grow stronger every day, working towards his new norm.

Since completing treatment Justin has been actively supporting cancer awareness. He’s a member of the Proton Radiation Teen Council and participates in Oklahoma Leukemia/ Lymphoma walks and several Make a Wish events.

On Sept 15th, 2019, Justin completed a new post cancer personal best of 2.77kms in the CanOkie Terry Fox Walk in Oklahoma City. It seemed incredibly fitting that he met his new milestone at this event, in the footsteps of the same Canadian national walk for those who continue to fight against cancer.

Justin is a fighter and never once gave up. He met every challenge head on with a smile on his face (likely for his favorite nurses). His diagnosis effected our whole family in many ways. Our oldest, Tori, was an amazing support for Justin as she navigated the last years of high school during this very stressful time. We had the love and support not only from friends and family back in Canada but from our military family in Oklahoma. It is when you are at your lowest that you really see those who are there for you.

Justin’s officially in remission and his hair is back darker and thicker than ever (his dad may be a bit jealous). He started back to school full time in Aug 2019 and is once again living the life of a teenager facing new challenges.

If he can beat cancer, high school should be a snap!

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OPS Fit Newsletter • Volume 12 • Issue 1 • Januar y 2020

OUTCAN Spouses Being Active

Chantal Wright – Cape Cod

I recently found out I was selected for the Falmouth Race along with another friend of mine that I met in the community.

We were so excited because not everyone gets selected. This is my very first race ever and I am pumped!

I heard about this race through some friends I met in the community. I happened to tell them that I love to run, and I had joined a Run Club. The individuals I met at Run Club are all fantastic and they get together every Tuesday evening.

I mentioned to them that I also enjoy running on my own usually 2-3 times a week. Well after that they were excited to tell me that there was a race that takes place every August in Falmouth, Massachusetts and that it is a lot of fun and I should try to get in. Then one of them said that if I did, they would as well, and my husband promised he’d join. We waited with anticipation for the participant selection results that were released May 24th. We found out that my friend and I had been selected.

Unfortunately, my husband was not. He was a little disappointed at first but recently found out he has another shot at being selected through the United States Coast Guard as they have a number of spots reserved for members. He is currently waiting to find out if he gets selected from this avenue.

Fingers crossed!

As for the training, I will continue to run on Tuesdays with Run Club, which is usually about a 5 km run. I will run my own, after work, 2 days a week and my friend and I plan to get together at least once a week and maintain the 7-mile run goal. Once it gets closer to race day, we’ll start running the race route, as we understand it’s pretty hilly.

We will be prepared!

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OPS Fit Newsletter • Volume 12 • Issue 1 • Januar y 2020

OUTCAN Spouses Being Active continued

Amy Surette

– Warner Robbins, GA

We are currently on OutCan in Warner Robins, Georgia USA. This is our third year here in the peach state.

A little history about my fitness journey, I have struggled greatly since my back surgery in 2012 to get my motivation back and to find a workout that I really enjoy.

This in turn also led to bad food choices and that turned into weight gain, a lot of weight gain. I finally had enough and saw an ad on facebook for a local gym that was offering a free 6 week challenge, yes free. What do I have to loose? I made an appointment at a locally owned gym called FitMogals and immediately felt at home there. I started the 6 week programmed which included a nutrition plan and 3 to 4 workouts a week with a combination of fit boxing and resistance training. I didn’t throw up my first day and I loved the workout. I followed the nutrition plan and did my workouts and fitness became a part of my daily routine again. Fast forward 6 weeks and i was down 15.8 lbs, 3.7% body fat and I lost a total of 9.5 inches. I am currently going into week 8 and I am 18 lbs down and feeling so great. I have accomplished all of this while battling what I thought was a sprained knee, turns out I have a fracture across the upper part of my tibia just below my knee. The wonderful thing about this gym is the attention you get from the personal trainer that can modify moves for me so I can keep getting stronger ( KT tape is also a wonderful thing ). After my 6 weeks was over a bought a 6 month member ship and go 4 times a week.

Thank you for the opportunity to share my journey.

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OPS Fit Newsletter • Volume 12 • Issue 1 • Januar y 2020

CDAO KENYA Sgt Andreas Beauchamp (plaid shirt) from CDAO Kenya recently climbed up Mt Longonot in Kenya with a few of his RCMP partners. Mt Longonot is a volcanic crater with the rim situated at approximately 2,600m elevation.

CFIOG FT MEADE Members of CFIOG Det Maryland play some volleyball during their Morale and Welfare Event on 29 August.

Besides volleyball, members did their best Kyle Lowry impressions on the basketball court before finishing with some gutter balls at the Ft Meade bowling center.

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OPS Fit Newsletter • Volume 12 • Issue 1 • Januar y 2020

CAF SPORTS DAY 2019

Every fall the CAF celebrates the contribution that sports play in the maintenance and development of fitness, health, teamwork and esprit de corps for CAF personnel and their families.

This year, eleven OUTCAN locations took part in the fun which included activities such as ball hockey, volleyball, flag football, ultimate Frisbee, cycling, golf, Terry Fox Run and a FORCE Evaluation competition. This is a great opportunity for CAF personnel to play alongside their peers including those from other countries.

CDAO KABUL

Cpl Greg Riddell from MPSS is competing against a GAC member in the sand bag lift during a FORCE Evaluation competition while Sgt Jesse Boles and MWO Derek Deslippe are timing.

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OPS Fit Newsletter • Volume 12 • Issue 1 • Januar y 2020

CFIOG DET MARYLAND

CFIOG Det Maryland practice their Frisbee skills prior to playing a game of ultimate

NATO DEFENCE COLLEGE ROME CFIOG Det Maryland practice their Frisbee skills prior to playing a game of ultimate

CDLS(WASHINGTON)

CFIOG Det Maryland practice their Frisbee skills prior to playing a game of ultimate

OPS Fit Newsletter • Volume 12 • Issue 1 • Januar y 2020

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EASTERN AIR DEFENSE SECTOR CAF personnel and their spouses enjoy a fall hike along the Mohawk River in Rome, NY

CDAO POLAND

Members from CDAO Poland get ready for a bike ride through Warsaw.

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OPS Fit Newsletter • Volume 12 • Issue 1 • Januar y 2020

DO PLANT-BASED BURGERS DESERVE A ‘HEALTH HALO?’

Many popular products are highly processed, heavy on salt and fat by: Bianca Bharti Beyond Meat burgers have defied expectations of carnivores and herbivores alike. The patty has duped meat-eaters and brought variety to the sometimes protein-scarce diets of vegetarians and vegans. It’s now even launched in Tim Hortons - Canada’s quintessential coffee chain - after a long promotional run in A&W restaurants.

As this meat alternative seemingly makes its way into our everyday lives - it’s also available for purchase in grocery stores - some health experts question whether plant-based burgers are actually good for us.

While some people are switching to Beyond Meat for environmental and ethical reasons, dietitians like Amanda Lapidus and Abby Langer say there is cause for worry about the “health halo” being placed on these meat alternatives.

“The Beyond Meat burger is technically a processed food. We know that diets higher in processed foods are linked to the development of disease,” Lapidus said.

When people eat more processed foods, they are likely to consume more calories and gain weight, a study by the National Institutes of Health found. With added weight gain can come such complications as kidney disease, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and heart disease.

Just because a product is plant-based, doesn’t mean it’s automatically healthy.

“French fries are plantbased,” Langer pointed out.

In fact, Aroma’s vegan burger (made with a Beyond Meat patty) and salad will set you back 990 calories, 63.9 grams of fat and 1,530 milligrams of sodium.

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Do plant-based burgers deserve a ‘health halo?’ continued

Beyond Meat, which positions itself as a food product that can directly compete with meat in taste, texture and nutrition has found relative mainstream success in Canada, and other producers have started making their own versions of plant-based proteins. Quebec-based Vegeat, Maple Leaf Foods and President’s Choice have all launched a pea protein burger.

Langer said plant-based burgers create more variety for those seeking meat alternatives; instead of relying on tofu and legumes, vegetarians and vegans can consume Beyond Meat as an occasional treat.

“Would I eat it every day? No. Would I eat a burger every day? No, I wouldn’t. This is the same thing.”

Lapidus said her concerns about Beyond Meat vary from person to person. If, for example, someone who isn’t a regular A&W customer or fast-food consumer starts to regularly seek out the plantbased burger, that’s not a healthy option. If it’s the opposite, where it’s regular fast-food eaters swapping their beef burger for a Beyond Burger, it might not be too bad.

It also depends on someone’s personal health history, she said.

“If you’re somebody who’s at risk for colorectal cancer, eating more red meat is going to further increase your risk for developing colorectal cancer.”

For someone who has hypertension, a Beyond Meat burger at A&W - which has more than half your daily requirement of sodium (1,110 mg) is not a good option. Conversely, A&W’s teen

burger, which has bacon, has 910 mg of sodium.

A 113-gram Beyond Meat patty has 250 calories, 18 grams of fat, 390 milligrams of sodium and 20 grams of protein. Health Canada says 113 grams of lean ground beef contains 292 calories, 16.5 grams of fat, 105 milligrams of sodium and 33 grams of protein. For comparison, 113 grams of Yves’ Veggie burger (which is typically 75 grams) contains 165 calories, nine grams of fat, 602.4 milligrams of sodium and 18 grams of protein.

Michael Rogers, a food scientist at the University of Guelph, worries the proliferation of Beyond Meat is only adding to a growing food crisis, where in Canada, 50 per cent of people’s calories come from ultra-processed foods.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation defines ultraprocessed foods as those that “go through multiple processes (extrusion, moulding, milling, etc.), contain many added ingredients and are highly manipulated.” This includes hotdogs, chicken nuggets, sweetened breakfast cereals, ice cream and chocolate.

“For the last million years, we’ve evolved with a very specific diet that’s been based on whole foods,” Rogers said. “There hasn’t been a change in our diets this drastic in all of human evolution with the exception of one event in human history: when the Neanderthals ventured from forests into pastoral land and started ... agricultural practices,” more than 12,000 years ago.

Since the Industrial Revolution, Rogers explained, companies have been working to make food more shelfstable, palatable and

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Do plant-based burgers deserve a ‘health halo?’ continued

functional by way of extracting, purifying and manipulating proteins, carbohydrates and fats, which are then added to such formulated foods as the Beyond burger.

When an animal or plant cell is broken down, the original, biological structure of those cells is transformed and no longer respond the same way in our bodies.

Beyond Meat products are made from yellow pea protein isolates, where the yellow pea itself is broken down through various processes.

Other ingredients such as refined coconut oil and natural flavours are added to make a cohesive patty that tastes good.

“Where this gets troublesome is consumers now see that this vegan burger has pea protein ... and they associate this vegetarian product, which is formulated from all these refined ingredients, and they think it’s the same as eating a plate full of peas,” Rogers said.

It’s not. When we consume food products that have been refined, the structures that exist to slow down digestion are removed. As a result, our bodies consume the energy of the food much quicker and easier, spiking our insulin, which can lead to the onset of diabetes.

malnutrition that, from an evolutionary perspective, didn’t exist until a hundred years ago. There is no anthropological evidence to suggest juvenile Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.

There’s no anthropological evidence that suggests that diseases like metabolic syndrome even existed a hundred years ago. And that is a direct consequence of the ultra processing of our foods,” he said.

“These consumers are blindly purchasing foods that they think are healthy because they associate it with a plant. But once that food has been processed, it doesn’t matter if it came from a plant, or a piece of cardboard - whatever - the whole food has gone.”

Despite all the warnings, Lapidus, Langer and Rogers all agreed that having processed food in your diet isn’t entirely bad - so long as it’s in moderation.

So go ahead and delight in a plant-based burger if your heart desires, but as Langer said, “use common sense.” © 2019 Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved.

Think of brown rice, Rogers said. When the outer layer - the bran - is polished to make white rice, our bodies digest the carbohydrates much quicker and it transforms from a complex carbohydrate to a simple one.

“We’ve created a whole new form of

OPS Fit Newsletter • Volume 12 • Issue 1 • Januar y 2020

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Canadian Adults Get a D from ParticipACTION ParticipACTION has recently released its first-ever report card regarding the physical activity levels of Canadian adults and it’s not pretty.

The report gives Canadians over the age of 18 years of age a D for overall physical activity, explaining that the majority of Canadians spend too much time sitting and not enough time moving. It claims only 16% of Canadian adults get the minimal recommended 150 minutes each week of moderate to intense exercise. That’s only 30 minutes a day for 5 days/week. Doing less than this 150 minutes leads to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, certain cancers and other healthrelated illnesses.

The American College of Sports Medicine has stated that an individual doesn’t have to exercise for 30 minutes all at once. They get the same health benefits by participating in shorter duration bouts of exercise of less than 10 minutes and may be accumulated throughout the day. The bottom line is to just move more. Try not to sit for extended periods, walk around the office for a minute or two, do some stretches while watching tv, take the dog or kids for a walk after work. All of these activities contribute to minimizing your risk of disease attributed to a sedentary lifestyle. And don’t think that your gym workout is enough to ward off these risks because research has shown that the positive effects of a good workout are negated from being sedentary the rest of the time. So hit the gym but keep moving throughout the day.

To read more about the ParticipACTION Report Card go to

https://www.participaction.com/en-ca/resources/adult-report-card

OPS Fit Newsletter • Volume 12 • Issue 1 • Januar y 2020

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MPSS DETACHMENT COMMANDER RUNS THE GREAT ETHIOPIAN RUN WO Glen Sheppard Addis Ababa, Ethiopia The Great Ethiopian Run was first started in late October 2000 by Ethiopian runner Haile Gebrselassie, Peter Middlebrook and Abi Masefield following Haile’s return from the 2000 Summer Olympics. The 10,000 entries for the first edition quickly sold out and other people

unofficially joined in the race without a number.

The creation of the race marked the first time that a major annual 10 km race had been held in the country, renowned for producing world class runners. The day’s events include an international and popular 10 km race and a 5 km women only race.

The elite race attracts a number of prominent runners. Haile Gebrselassie won the inaugural men’s race and at the second edition many of the countries top long-distance runners competed, with Gebre Gebremariam, Sileshi Sihine and Kenenisa Bekele comprising the top three in the men’s race and Worknesh Kidane and Tirunesh Dibaba taking first and second in

the women’s race. Although more established competitors do take part, the race is known for highlighting the best of Ethiopia’s up-andcoming running talent – many of the race’s podium finishers, little-known at the time, have gone on to achieve success on the global stage.

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MPSS Detachment Commander Runs The Great Ethiopian Run continued

By 2005, the number of race entries had grown to 25,000 participants. There were around 35,000 runners competing at the 2010 edition. The combination of the quality of the national elite field and the time-impeding altitude of Addis Ababa (8000 ft) means that the international race does not attract many elite runners from other countries. Given the prominence of the race and its importance to emerging athletes, the races are hotly contested with large leading packs early on and much physical interaction. Standing in contrast to other large scale running events, fun runners at the Great Ethiopian Run do not typically compete to raise money for charity, but instead compete for their own personal reasons.

The 2016 event saw over 40,000 registrations despite a 6-month state of emergency declared in October following violent anti-government protests. Abe Gashahun and Foiteyn Tesfaye, both relatively new and unknown young athletes, were the surprise winners of the 16th edition of the Great Ethiopian Run 10km international road race which was held on Sunday November 20, 2016.

The Embassy of Canada, Addis Ababa, was one of the many participants in this year’s run, the 19th, on 17 November 2019. The elite Men’s Winner was Berihu Aregawi with a time of 00:28:22 and the elite Women’s Winner was Yalemzerf Yahualaw with a time of 00:31:54.

From Left to Right, Etsub Yilma, LCol Andrew Nicholson, Allison Lunianga, and WO Glen Sheppard, all from the Embassy of Canada, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

OPS Fit Newsletter • Volume 12 • Issue 1 • Januar y 2020

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Maintain a healthy lifestyle when you’re stationed in Europe Why is a posting in Europe automatically associated with weight gain?

try to maintain a routine that fits well into your schedule.

It’s the first warning you receive when you arrive on European soil!

Record your training sessions in your Outlook calendar.

When I moved to Europe, I quickly realized that life here is, in fact, very different from life back home. There’s a multitude of inexpensive travel destinations, delicious local food and plenty of opportunities to make choices that are less than healthy. Not to mention the many vineyards that provide quality wines for a third of the price!

2. FIND A TRAINING PARTNER OR JOIN A GROUP

That makes it easy to indulge and let your willpower go a bit because “it’s just until I get home. Then everything will go back to normal.”

Join a club. (Running, cycling, hiking club...)

But what happens next?

Fear of starting training again?

Discomfort with your carelessness?

An injury due to a lack of daily physical activity?

Fortunately, there are solutions to this problem.

All you need to do is put them into practice.

1. SCHEDULING First of all, you need to find time on the schedule to record your exercise.

By planning it in advance, you aren’t giving yourself the chance to plan other things or just give up. Find a time that works for you and

Try to convince a coworker to join you so you can keep each other motivated.

Make appointments directly at the gym.

Find a sport or activity that really interests you and join a group that shares the same passion.

3. SET GOALS FOR YOURSELF Set short- and long-term goals.

Do a specific exercise and record how long it took you to complete it. Then, repeat the same exercise one to two months later and compare your results.

Save your FORCE evaluation results and try to beat your record next time.

Challenge yourself!

Whether you’re cycling or hiking in the mountains, opportunities abound. They need to be recorded and planned, though!

Don’t just daydream about the idea. Take things into your own hands to make it happen.

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Maintain a healthy lifestyle when you’re stationed in Europe continued

4. SEEK EXPERT ADVICE Ask a PSP fitness staff member to help you build your training plan.

The PSP fitness staff can help you make your planning more enjoyable and effective in meeting your personal goals.

They can keep you motivated by regularly changing things up.

Finally, you just have to give yourself some time!

Whether it’s 30 or 60 minutes a day, the important thing is to take the time and maintain a good lifestyle.

It will help you feel less guilty about those little indulgences.

Claudie Bussières

Fitness, Sports and Physical Exercise Coordinator - Europe, Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS) National Defence/Government of Canada Claudie.Bussieres@forces.gc.ca Tel: +49 2451 717205

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Upcoming events Jan-Mar 2020 USA

Europe

CDLS(W) • FORCE Evaluations – 29-30 Jan – OPI PO2 Geoffrey West

Geilenkirchen • FORCE Evaluations - Tuesdays and Thursdays at 0900 – OPI Guy Boudrias Det UK • FORCE Evaluations – 11-13 Feb – OPI Maj Chris Otis

Peterson AFB • FORCE Evaluations – 12-13 Feb – OPI Capt Abel Mfumuangani Tinker AFB • FORCE Evaluator Training – 25 Feb – OPI MCpl Devin Tuck • FORCE Evaluations – 26-27 Feb– OPI MCpl Devin Tuck

Brussels • FORCE Evaluations – 13 March – OPI LCol Alexandre Coté

EADS • FORCE Evaluator Training – 4 March – OPI MCpl Marie-Pier Grimard-Berubé • FORCE Evaluations – 5 March – OPI MCpl Marie-Pier Grimard-Berubé Philadelphia • FORCE Evaluations –12 March – OPI WO Sara Mullen CSA, Houston • FORCE Evaluations –19 March – OPI Mrs. Natalie Hirsch

Monthly OUTCAN Fitness and Health Initiatives Upcoming Initiatives Jan: Calorie crusher – Burn those extra holiday calories in this intense 30 day challenge Feb: FORCES Fit – Complete 15 of 25 workouts to receive a nice performance t-shirt Mar: F ruit and vegetable challenge – Teams of 4 will record their daily fruit and vegetable consumption OPS Fit Newsletter • Volume 12 • Issue 1 • Januar y 2020

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Title Featured

Exercise Sand bag shouldering

more title Sand bag shouldering

Start: Stand over sandbag with feet wide. You can substitute a med ball, weight plate, or other weight.

Action: Bend down to pick up the SB while keeping back flat and chest up. Grab the SB and extend the knees and hips while keeping the core engaged and back flat. At the top, place the SB on one shoulder.

End: Drop the SB back to the floor and repeat for other side shoulder for reps.

Muscles worked: quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, hip flexors, abdominals, lattisimus dorsi, deltoids, biceps

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