IT’S ABOUT TIME
After getting a degree in exercise science from UBC, Sara Hodson worked with cardiac rehab patients for 11 years. “I would constantly hear something like, ‘Can my partner come who just found out he has diabetes?’ And I always had to say that unless they had a heart attack or a major heart intervention, they don’t qualify.” So, she developed Live Well Exercise Clinic, a fitness club with an exercise- as-medicine model for any health condition or concern.
Staff, all of whom are university certified clinical exercise physiologists, monitor vitals such as heart rate, blood pressure and blood sugar, and take into account health conditions when developing a member’s routine. That might include the latest exercise guidelines for lower back pain or nutrition tips for Type 2 diabetes. “Most certifications and
qualifications out there are for fitness professionals to work with people who are apparently healthy. That is the term used in their training,” she says. “What about when someone has high blood pressure?”
At an average of just 1,200 square feet, the exercise floor is notably intim- ate. The staff-to-member ratio is roughly one-to-five during each hour-long session. And if you miss a session, you can count on a followup call. “We care that our members show up,” says Hodson, noting that membership is capped at 300 to promote a personalized experience and a sense of community. This isn’t your grandkid’s gym, and the concept seems to be resonating. Since 2011, Hudson has opened six locations in British Columbia, clinics in Toronto and Oakville earlier this year with further expansions planned for B.C., Ontario and Alberta. www. livewellclinic.ca —TL