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Fit 'N' Well in the News...

2001 canoe trip footage (Taking It Off Productions)

May 15, 2012- Demonstrating a 15 minute work out for the Edmonton Journal

Full Body Strength Training Demonstration

 

May 8th, 2012; Explaining interval training

Video tips on how to do fartleks can be found here:

May 1, 2012; Tips on getting ready for the upcoming gardening season

Video on getting ready for gardening here:

 

 

From the Chatelaine Magazine; June, 2008

Lose weight doing chores

Check out these three everyday household chores modified into a killer workout

Summer is a good time to start losing weight; the sun is out, the birds are chirping and you can't hide behind those bulky layers anymore. Greg Harvey, personal trainer and manager of Fit 'N' Well in Alberta says, "Not only do people tend to be a little more active in the summer, but hot weather and activity tends to encourage us to drink more fluids. The more water we drink, the less hungry we are."

Chores around the garden or the house can be modified into a calorie-burning workout with a few simple techniques. To ensure your back is safe Harvey strongly recommends using your abs to lift rather than your upper or lower back. "As you lift, suck in your tummy as though you are putting on a tight pair of jeans. Contract your stomach muscles and lift. When you use these techniques, your transverse abdominus (inner abdomen) activates, providing stability to your lower back so more muscles are incorporated, thus lessening the strain on the back."

Any landscaping projects are good exercise as you move dirt and bricks, plant trees, mow the lawn, or rake etc. Here are three modified indoor household chores so you get the most from your time spent cleaning.

Laundry exercise
Fill your basket with laundry. Squat down, pick up your basket and as you are standing up, raise the basket over your head. Fully extend your arms until your elbows are almost straight. Bring the basket down again until it almost touches the floor and repeat 20 times. Keep your abdominals tight throughout the exercise.

This exercise works your buttocks, front and back of thighs, chest, triceps (the back of your arms), shoulders, lower and upper back, and biceps. To make it harder, put some magazines in the basket, or lift the basket a little further out from your body. Ensure you keep your abdominals tight throughout the movement, to protect your lower back.

Washing the floor exercise
Wet a rag in soapy water, kneel on a cushion of some sort and slide your upper body away from your knees and back again. This exercise works your abdominals, your lower back, shoulders, chest and triceps. Listen to your body and be sure not to extend your body too far out from your legs, since the farther out you go, the harder it will be on your lower back and arms. As you get stronger, extend further.

Stair climbing exercise
Going up and down stairs works your quads and calves. Take two stairs at a time and now it works your quads, calves, and the front and back of your thigh. Add a basket of laundry and you just added resistance. Hold the laundry out from your body a few inches and your abdominals and lower back will work to stabilize you as you go up and down the stairs. Holding the laundry basket away from your body slightly will also work your chest, biceps, shoulders, forearms and upper back.

The best thing you can do for your health is to listen to your body. Harvey says aches and pains are normal when you exercise, but not sharp lower-back or joint pain. So make sure pay attention to how your body is responding to the activity and you'll be a happier, healthier person for it.

Take advantage of the beautiful weather (white it lasts!) and check out one of Canada's top walking trails.

 

 

 

 
 
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The Edmonton Journal; November 2003: With Lawrence Richard

Dear Greg,
All my life I have always had a problem gaining weight. At my lowest, I was closer to 145 lbs. and rarely went above 155 lbs up to my late 30s, early 40s. I believe when I contacted you, I was around to 160 lbs. at age 50. At 145 lbs. I was seriously underweight and contribute it
mostly to lifestyle. I have always been able to eat anything and everything without seeing it add inches to my waist. I've had tests that indicate I burn up to 2 times more energy than necessary. As to the accuracy, I'm not sure.

I started exercising (running at first) to build up my energy because I was becoming lethargic during the day and I felt my health was generally poor. Running was great and I noticed my appetite improving but my weight wasn't going much beyond 160 lbs. I wanted to add another 10-15 lbs. and hoped that there would be a noticeable difference. That's when I decided to try exercises and weights at the gym. With proper guidance, alternating different sets seemed to be an easy routine to do and with that followed an increase in appetite. Eating frequently has become very important. I find that I am constantly hungry. However, when I skip the daily routine at the gym (for whatever reason: injury, illness, laziness) I seem to drop weight plus whenever I have a setback (illness, injury, high stress level) weight seems to get sucked right out of me and my appetite also diminishes. There have been various plateaus that have been hard to overcome (170 lbs., 175 lbs. and once I went up to 180lbs.) When I was at 180lbs. (last summer) I
suffered a biking injury and skipped the gym for about 3.5-4 months and my weight went down to 170 lbs.


The difficulty I have in putting on and keeping weight is when I'm inactive, I see negative results. I guess it's like people trying to lose weight but, until starting a routine with Fit-n-well and SEEING the results, for all these years I never thought it was the same.

The more I eat and exercise, the better results I see, the more I just eat...it doesn't seem to really get packed on and I don't know where it goes. It's taken me 2 years to add 14 lbs. (174 lbs.) and it hasn't been easy. My goal is another 10 lbs. and even that seems almost unattainable. The only way it's possible is with a plan...eat, work out, eat, work out.

Thanks for showing me how to gain weight and keep it on.

Sincerely;

Lawrence Richard

 

 
 
 

Edmonton Journal, April 12, 2002
click to enlarge

 

Edmonton Journal, June 2, 2003

 

 

NAIT Alumnait
(the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology Alumni Magazine),
Fall 2001

click to enlarge

 
Edmonton Journal, March 1999
click to enlarge
 

 

  

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