Make fitness goals that will stick
To shine a spotlight on the many 2019 fitness resolutions that will be broken, and on those which, one month into the year, have likely already been shattered, here’s a couple of fitness funnies.
“Research has shown that laughing for two minutes is just as healthy as a 20-minute jog. So, instead of exercising I’m going to sit in the park for two minutes every day, laughing at all the joggers.”
And this one.
“I might wake up early every day and go running. I also might wake up and win the lottery. The odds are about the same.”
I’ll bet every Breaker reader knows someone whose fitness goals fall short.
To tell the truth, I fell off the fitness wagon during the holidays. An extended visit to a West Coast relative who insisted on forcefeeding me tasty treats from morning ’til night can break a guy’s will.
Thankfully, the lapse in judgement, and associated stall in weight loss and fitness gain, were temporary. Last week I jumped right back into a routine at Lynds Den Health and Fitness Centre.
In December I was at the gym and noticed a woman working out on some pulley thing. I thought she might be a good subject for an interview, so I asked gym manager Tanya Joudrey to introduce me.
Wanda Robar decided to join the Lynds Den when it opened in January, 2017.
Wanda is a nurse at South Shore Regional Hospital, so she understands the intrinsic value of good health and fitness, and the inevitable consequences of a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle.
“I enjoy going to the gym at least three times a week, depend- ing on my schedule at the hospital. It makes me feel better. And being a nurse, it’s a great stress reliever for me,” said Wanda.
“I like the atmosphere. I have my set workout routines, but if I need assistance with anything, I can always ask someone. The staff and other members are friendly and quick to help,” she said.
A Northfield resident, the fit Wanda, 50ish, makes good use of all the equipment at Lynds Den.
“My workouts last about three hours. I use free weights and machines designed for legs, arms and abs,” said Wanda. “I use the stepper and elliptical machines for cardio. I find the treadmill boring.”
Wanda believes exercise helps people who are concerned about current or emerging mobility issues. “If you remain sedentary you tend to stiffen up, so it’s much better to keep moving,” she said.
Another woman who is certainly not sedentary is Lynds Den co-owner and mom Allison Lynds.
Allison, like hubby and business partner Mike, is a fitness enthusiast of epic proportions.
A member of the Canadian Body Building Federation, Allison competed at the Diamond Cup, an international competition held last October in Laval, Quebec.
She placed second in both the Bikini Masters (35 and over) and Bikini Open, a category in which ladies of all ages compete.
To Allison, fitness is a lifelong journey, not something you achieve overnight, and not without help.
“Consistency is one of the keys to fitness success, and what is also essential is the support
from family for what you are doing and why you are doing it,” said Allison.
“With Mike and me, it’s family first. At the end of the day, you go home to family. For us, it doesn’t matter how hard you work in the gym, how many trophies you have or what titles you won. You need to put your family first and not sacrifice them for a hobby or lifestyle,” she said.
Allison and I actually have something in common. She was involved in track and field from a young age, competing in long jump and, my personal favourite and specialty, triple jump.
Mike and Allison met at a track meet when they were both 15. “He was just one face among a handful of Truro athletes who I saw during the indoor and outdoor track seasons, said Allison.
The couple started dating at 23, then married at 25. They now have two children – Lilly, 9, and Brody, 4. The Lynds encourage their children to be active, but what sports they play is up to them.
Brody is the only boy in his gymnastics class, while Lilly is one of three girls on a football team.
“Lilly wanted to play football because her daddy did. Mike coaches a high school football team and Lilly intends to play football until she is in high school so her daddy can coach her,” said Allison.
Following my chat with Allison, I spoke with Mike Lynds about a key element of fitness – nutrition
“Nutrition is 85 percent of fitness. You can’t work out then go eat a burger or pizza,” said Mike.
“Think of your body as a Ferrari. You don’t put regular gas and oil in a Ferrari because you know it won’t run that well. If you put junk food in your body, your body will react badly to that,” he said.
“Muscle is your body’s furnace. It burns fat. You need to feed the muscle to make it grow. People who stop eating believe they will lose weight. They will, but they will lose muscle and keep the fat.”
Mike said people who are eating and exercising properly might notice they are using two or three fewer belt loops than before, and that their pants are feeling a little looser, yet when they step on the scale, the numbers haven’t moved. That’s because they are gaining muscle and losing fat.
According to Mike, the best sources of nutritious food come from four macronutrients – proteins, carbohydrates, fats and, wait for it, water.
“Water is essential for health. The body will die faster without water than it will without food. People should drink three to six