Troublemakers - Pema Chodron's Wisdom

One of my friends had a hard time with someone this week. He got under her skin and drove her a little crazy. Sounds like the dude has some pretty bent morals and might have lost his way. These 'troublemakers' that come across our paths often end up teaching the most about ourselves vs. the people we don't have any struggle with. It's much easier to have perspective after some time has passed for sure. But Pema Chodron is one of those gifted teachers who can help me find peace in the middle of chaos, struggle and pain. Here's a great clip of her speaking about the troublemakers that come our way.

Peace

Snuggles might combat anxiety

I have a huge cuddle monkey. She's always been that way. I've always indulged her need for affection, not only for her but also because I love snuggles too. The amount of time our children actually want us that closely is so brief. Why not soak it up. I'm a physical person (duh) and don't know what I'd do if I had a child who didn't need affection the way my girl does. Often times, I got advice that I should teach her to self soothe more often and not pick her up when she cried. The amount of advice out there about how to care for infants and 'teach' them how to sleep etc. etc. is overwhelming. It's like our mothering instincts get drowned out in the plethora of advice we are bombarded with. Family structure today doesn't allow for us to lean on extended family for sage advice the way mothers have in the past. At least that's the case for many women I know. I always gravitated to the Dr. Sears parenting website when I needed guidance that always left me feeling less anxious and more grounded.

I came across an article in the Globe and Mail, "Cuddle up, moms: new research shows it's good for baby".


Mothers: you can’t cuddle your babies too much.

New research published in the latest issue of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health suggests the more affectionate mothers are with infants, the less likely their children will struggle with anxiety and other mental health issues as adults.

The study, completed by a team of researchers at Duke University in Durham, N.C., initially examined 482 people when they were eight months old.

During a series of developmental tests, psychologists observed how warm and affectionate mothers were with their babies and assigned each a rating on a five-point scale based on their interactions. Most mothers were rated as expressing “warm” affection towards their babies (84.9 per cent) while 8.9 per cent were “occasionally negative” and 1.5 per cent were rated as “extravagant” in the warmth they heaped on their little one.

Decades later, when the offspring were adults (average age of 34), they participated in a battery of mental health tests to determine how emotionally distressed they were.

Across the board, those who had been showered with the most amount of affection in infancy (rated “extravagant” or “caressing”) had the lowest levels of distress as adults.

I have seen numerous clients who suffer from anxiety disorder and have had to turn to medications to help them get through rough spots. I also personally know many many people, men, women, young, older who have turned to medical intervention to help them deal with distress in life. Who knows how many people would be relying on drug companies to help them through emotional distress if their parents just had indulged their need for physical affection more. Just a thought.

List of medical conditions I'm friends with including one of my very own

Back in 1999 I visited a drop in clinic because of a nagging cough that wouldn't go away. Within an hour, I was at Mount Sinai Emergency. Never saw that one coming. Most people don't see any health issues coming their way. Turned out I had developed a 1 in 200,000 condition called Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). What the heck is that you ask?

It's the condition of having a low platelet count (thrombocytopenia) of no known cause (idiopathic). As most causes appear to be related to antibodies against platelets, ITP is also known as immune thrombocytopenic purpura or immune-mediated thrombocytopenic purpura. Often ITP is asymptomatic, however a very low platelet count can lead to visible symptoms, such as purpura (bruises), or more seriously, bleeding diathesis.

The only reason I found out I had this ITP thing was because of hundreds of tiny little bruises on my lower legs that looked like a rash. The drop in clinic doc tried to hide his panic and wonderment when he abruptly ordered me into a cab headed for Mt. Sinai.

I spent a week in hospital while they pumped platelet transfusions and steroids in me to little affect. Shortly before my platelet count started going up, I had literally no platelets left in my body. It was really scary. I even got to witness the death of the woman beside me. After days of moaning, she passed away in the middle of the night. I spent a good 8 hours in a hospital room with a dead body. That same day I started responding to the treatment. I was just hours away from a scheduled bone marrow test. Ouch! It was a character building experience for sure. I was new to the big smoke, had no family with me and a few new friends who came to support me, one of whom visited me every day. She's now one of my most beloved friends. Big hug JoJo.

Why am I telling you this? Because I'm not afraid of working with people who are ill or injured. Over the last four years, Urbanfitt has been evolving into a place where we embrace clients with more specialized needs. And I hope that everyone who walks through the door leave feeling more powerful, fit and vital.

I'm not saying in any way shape or form that we treat conditions. But I truly believe that anyone benefits from movement and that feeling vital to whatever extent possible will impact health outcomes. Under proper medical supervision, anyone should feel confident in being active in a safe and confident manner. Any personal trainer working with medical conditions should be consulting experts to ensure they know what the heck they're doing. Every new condition is a new opportunity to learn.

Here's a list (albeit not complete) of the types of illnesses and conditions that have been at Urbanfitt:

Breast cancer
Bladder cancer
Prostate cancer
Renal failure
Bipolar disorder
Anxiety disorder
Brain cancer
Stroke survivor
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator
Patella femoral syndrome
Multiple Sclerosis
Frozen shoulder
Rotator cuff injuries
Iliotibial Band Syndrome
Meniscus Tear
Degenerative disc disease
Colitis
Crones disease
Poly-cystic ovarian syndrome
Gestational diabetes
Postpartum depression and anxiety
Broken wrists and arms
Rheumatoid arthritis
Osteopenia
Osteoarthritis
Type II diabetes
Emphysema
Endometriosis
Post traumatic stress disorder
Shoulder dislocations
Idiopathic neuropathy
Hypertension
Broken ankle with loads of scrap metal
Leukemia
Early onset menopause
Peri-menopause
Menopause (not these two things are conditions but just a normal part of life that can suck sometimes)
Bulemia
Anorexia
Ankylosing spondylitis

That's all I've got time for to list. My main point in this post is

DON'T LET YOUR MEDICAL CONDITION STOP YOU FROM MOVING AND FEELING GOOD ABOUT YOUR BODY! DO SOMETHING TO PICK YOURSELF UP AND TAKE ACTION!

“You cannot change until you have awareness of what is not working.” – Max Simon

The Clothing Diet

Many of us can lose control of impulses in a variety of areas in life. Once you've lost control and engaged in unhealthy behaviours, you know what it feels like. It's like a lion in your belly that's hungry for dessert even though you know you're full. Binging doesn't just involve a Betty Crocker frozen cake. Binging can involve plastic baby. Or maybe it's the same type of relationship that's going no where. We all get wake up calls (hopefully sooner rather than later) or we can choose our wake up calls and create them before crisis strikes.

The New York Times published an article yesterday titled "Shoppers on a 'Diet' Tame the Urge to Buy Shoppers on a ‘Diet’ Tame the Urge to Buy

Last summer, Ms. Bjornsen, 47, said she was thinking about how years of easy credit had led to overspending on cars, homes and luxury goods. Then, looking in her own closet, she realized that she was part of the problem, she said. For her job, as a representative of commercial photographers in Seattle and before that as a marketing executive at fashion companies like Nike and Nordstrom, she’d spent $5,000 to $10,000 a year on clothes.

“I was buying in an egregious way,” Ms. Bjornsen said. “I was just kind of grossed out by the whole thing.”

Independently, the “six items” experiment was conceived by two friends, Heidi Hackemer, 31, a strategic business director at the New York advertising agency BBH, and Tamsin Davies, 34, the head of innovation at Fallon London, after an informal discussion about their desires to pare down their wardrobes. The idea snowballed into a creative challenge, Six Items or Less.

Now let's face it. We all can have issues dealing with the abundance that most people in North America are blessed with. Maybe human beings aren't designed to live with so much choice, spending power and plentiful food all the time. Or maybe we all just need to learn how to love what we have, what we eat and not plug the holes in our soul with shit we don't need.

Of the 150-plus-people who signed up for the Great American Apparel Diet, about half have given up. Ms. Bjornsen’s own sister quit after four weeks. And she has herself cheated twice, once when she realized she had forgotten to bring her workout clothes to the gym, a second time when her husband told her that her pajamas looked worn out and gross. Though she said she feels no guilt about those indulgences, Ms. Bjornsen said that she was looking forward to the end of the diet on Aug. 31.

She had thought about ways to make money off the diet, she said, but instead she plans to pass on the management of the Web site to continuing and future participants.

“It’s taken about 10 to 20 years to build up the idea that nothing is good unless it is new,” Ms. Bjornsen said. “Five years from now, if the diet is still going, it would be interesting to see how that changes.”

40 things before 40 - by Rahnuma Panthaky

Last Thursday I went to the book launch for "Poser" Caitlin Cronenburg's newly released book of photography. It was there I met the audaciously engaging Rahnuma Panthaky, Canadian actor and author of the 40 things before 40 blog.

She was daintily sipping water, not engaging in the usual sucking back of free wine that often accompanies these types of parties. Turns out water was a treat for her she had to indulge in sparingly. Rahnuma was planning on being a contestant in a fitness model competition within days. Now you might be drumming up a bunch of images of what Rahnuma must be like for wanting to cross this experience off her 40 things before 40 bucket list. But I can assure you she doesn't fit into any mold of any sort. She just wanted to do it once!
With all her irreverence towards the fitness model world intact, she ended up placing 5th. Pretty cool. So I thought I'd spread the word about her great little blog by posting a post of hers. Here goes:

I’m losing it!! 9 days left to go and things are worse than they began.

Not only is my self discipline failing me (I’m not even going to insult you with the copious amount of crap I consumed on set …..let’s just say craft services became my new best friend) my body is also falling apart. Somehow, somewhere I tweaked my lower back (maybe it was attempting to do some of my own stunts on set – how Wonder Woman did it in heals is beyond me). Add to that my knee hurting (the good one at that) and I am a walking mess. Isn’t exercise and healthy eating supposed to keep you healthy?

Oh and let’s not forget the anxiety I am starting to have as I realize I am 9 days away from having to parade myself in front of hundreds who plan on judging my body as I stand next to people who actually took this training seriously.

On top of all this, I am now starting to crave shit I normally would never consume. And I’ll be honest –I’ve caved a few times. Like last Saturday.

Somewhere between Chaka Khan and Cyndi Lauper (Jazz Festival meets Pride Weekend) I managed to find myself in front of a street meat truck. And I lost it. Not only did I get a chicken sausage with all the works, I managed to inhale the whole thing in a matter of seconds. (Please keep your “sausage swallowing” jokes to yourself– my parents read this).

And the other day I saw a commercial for Kraft dinner and I swear I almost licked the TV screen. My mind is playing a sick, sick game with me. I just keep telling myself all I need to do is get through the next 9 days…I might have to wire my jaw shut to do it successfully!

Now I don’t want to sound like I’m complaining all the time. There have been some plusses to this whole training process. Like being able to fit back into a really old pair of jeans. So what if they happen to be my 1987 Suzy Shier acid wash jeans – the fact that I can actually get my ass and thighs into them is a bonus.

2nd plus: some have said my skin looks like it’s glowing. I don’t tell them that it’s just sweat from trying to restrain myself from clawing the chocolate bar out of their hands and ramming it down my throat…(yes, I know I am just feeding you these - but please keep the throat-ramming jokes to yourself, need I remind you about my folks).

Plus # 3: I have actually found a new appreciation for lifting weights. There, I’ve said it. I like exercise….sometimes. I’ll admit, I am actually liking the way some of my muscles look (the fact that I have them in the first place is a whole other bag of candy…mmm….candy).

Now if I could only stay on track with the eating – as I write this I have just inhaled an oat bar from Starbucks and a granola bar both in the span of 20 minutes. Sucks that now this is the kind of food that makes me feel guilty....(sigh) 9 more days!

I am sure I will get a huge wake-up call when I go to the Posing Workshop next Sunday (ya – they have those too) and see how serious these women are. They’ll probably scoff at me as I fake my way around the stage trying to suck in my gut and some how find a magic way to lift my butt. But fuck it! Those bitches can kiss my hairy brown ass (ooh, that reminds me I need to book an appointment with my esthetician).

Apparently they will be approving our bathing suits (still debating wearing a full wet suit to the competition) and our shoes at this workshop. Did you know there’s a “classy” standard to those see-through plastic stripper shoes all the peelers wear?

Finding them is also a bit of a challenge. I had to walk into a big peeler store this week to scout out a pair. As I entered Seduction (it’s a big 2 storey everything to do with strippers shop) I was so praying no one I knew saw me go in. I could just hear all the rumors starting about Rahnuma and her underground job. Yet when I told the salesclerk what I was looking for and she automatically asked if it was for a fitness competition, I found myself getting offended she didn’t think I was a stripper. Clearly I am losing it.

And who knew a piece of cheap plastic slapped on top of another piece of cheap plastic would cost so much? Clearly the recession has had no impact on strippers. I may need to rethink my career - (just kidding Mom & Dad!).

Alright, back to the bucket list -

As for #10 (“Play a Team Sport”), I have my first ever beach volleyball game tonight. Team 19 C (we don’t have a name yet) will be playing 2 games at the Docks (one is not torture enough?).

Thanks to a blog follower I now know how to keep the sand out of my toenails. Apparently all you need to do is run a bar of soap under your nails before you go to the beach. The chunks of soap will block out the sand. I only have liquid soap in my place – not sure it’ll work the same –but hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained!

I might add I have not touched a volleyball since my last clinic (not that I touched it much during the clinics) so this should be a whole new level of interesting. Stay tuned for updates on black eyes and bruised noses. I’m still seriously thinking of wearing a caged helmet…though the tan lines could be a bitch.

And I’ve finally come up with a few more additions to add to what seems to be a never-ending list. So here it goes:

28 Participate in a Flash Mob – They look so cool and end up with a ridiculous amount of hits on the web. Who knows, maybe that’ll be my ticket to fame.
29 Try to get a 20 year old to hit on me (that came courtesy of Karitsa). – Though if I am trying to do it, does it really count? And at what point does one become a cougar?
30 Jump out of a plane – I actually already did but it was static line (where the chute automatically opens for you). According to hard-core divers that is the pussy way to jump. So tandem it will be.
31 Work on an Ed Burns Film – This may be a little trickier to do - but hey, I’m not beyond stalking. And Ed, if you happen to be reading this blog – Mama’s got some ideas for your next film.

Stay tuned for updates on the competition – and if I’m feeling brave enough, maybe even a few pics.

"Look Who’s Swinging Now - post natal kettlebell training" by Sara-Clare Lajeunesse

Here's the second installment of the articles that Sara-Clare Lajeunesse wrote for the Agatsu Inc. online magazine! Great insights and inspiration for anyone working with post-natal clients! We heart SC at Urbanfitt!

At the time of Baby Harry’s arrival, new mom Jennifer Goldman (33, teacher) was exhausted after 29.5 hours of labour and an episiotomy . Before her pregnancy and during, her exercise regime consisted of a one hour yoga class once a week and approx 45min to an hour of walking everyday.

9 weeks after Harry’s birth she was starting to feel the blues both physically and mentally. That’s when I came in. I gave Jenny and her husband Jim Annan (33, actor) a KB demo in hopes of including them in their hour long sessions with me. They were hooked and now 5 weeks later, with both seeing loss of fat and gains in strength and energy neither are looking back!

Q & A’s

What was your first impression after using KBs?
Jenny-I felt it was challenging and yet my body did not feel stressed or strained.
Jim-Liked it, as opposed to free weights I didn’t get tired as the workout went on because I felt like I was using more of my body to complete the movement.

What changes have you seen since you started using KB’s?
Jim-More energy, feeling stronger. My posture has improved, am more aware that I’m standing straighter. Overall it’s a confidence.
Jenny-Just feeling better! More energy.

What do you like most about using KB’s?
Jim-It makes you want to do more.
Jenny-“It’s always changing, which is important for me because I get bored fast.”

When asked about the technical side of it Jenny said, “It’s de-stressing, I don’t think about anything else when I’m exercising except what I’m doing at the moment.”

Goals and Progress

Since our training has begun Jenny has not only shed 28 lbs in 5 weeks but has gained more upper body and stabilizing strength as well as fixed a lot of the imbalances in her lower back due to lordosis common in post natal clients. Consequently, Jim has also managed to loose his baby sympathy weight and loose 12 lbs of fat.

Overall, they both feel that their stamina and flexibility has also improved, as they now have more body awareness when carrying and holding Harry as he continues to get heavier. I have also been upping the KB weights they are working with as they get stronger.
Jenny is still working on getting back to her 118 lbs pre-Harry weight, but feels her body is stronger than before. Yesterday her statement before the workout was “I have abs! I have to show you!”

Some things to watch for when Training a New Mom:

Diastasis recti: The partial or complete separation on the rectus abdominis common to most women during the third trimester. Kbs are great as they can strengthen abs with little to no impact. Ex: around the body passes.

Joint laxity: The hormone relaxin released during the pregnancy to assist in the widening of the pelvis. Joints may feel loose and may hyperextend more easily. Starting your client off with simple strength training movements that mimic and aid in her everyday routine are best. Ex: light cleans followed by two handed push press as you advance to sumo dead lift high pulls.
*Also adding in joint mobility exercises like windmills will help your client regain much needed awareness in her hips, stabilizers and upper body that she will need while performing day to day tasks as the baby grows and get heavier.

Episiotomy: a HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surgical" o "Surgical" surgical incision made to enlarge the HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vagina" o "Vagina" vagina and assist childbirth. Make sure that the sutures have healed before attempting deep bending or rigorous lateral leg movements. Keep to exercises that will make her feel comfortable and controlled in the area such as push presses or a bent press.

Incontinence: commonly referred to as a weak bladder control (or leaky lady syndrome). Because kb training uses so much of the body’s stabilizing muscle groups it is so easy to add in kegel exercises to almost every kb movement. Very important when dealing with women who have had an episiotomy, they need to regain vaginal muscle control with sometimes very little feeling in that area. For example have your client do a thruster while performing a kegel squeeze at the top or a floor press and holding the contraction as long as possible.

Hydration: Can be a big problem if women aren’t hydrated for workouts and also more sensitive to blood sugar due to the need for an extra 500 calories a day to support nursing nutritional requirements.

Dos and Don’ts of Post Natal Training:

-Be sure the amount of exercise is enough but don’t push it. If it feels good that’s enough.
-Do not chart performance progress. Remember everyday things are changing. Instead think of it as helping your client to regain body awareness.
-Do not ignore fatigue or pain and be flexible with work out design depending on sleep issues.
-Watch out for weak ab muscles. Do not force sit ups of any kind in the first few weeks. Instead stick to stabilizer exercises that use entire body rather than target.

Benefits of KB training for new moms

-helps abdominal wall in healing (distasis recti)
-helps redirect postural alignment from lordosis, hyperextension, and kyphosis
-aids in strengthening the pelvic floor (kegel)
-promotes healthy back care
-combats post-partum depression
-wide variety of low-impact movements that will strengthen without harming their weakened joints (laxity)
-aerobic exercise and strength training all in one
-convenient to do in your own home

Sample workout:
Designed to help lose weight and regain body awareness as you move from
simpler movements building up to more complex.
Joint mobility and warm up, adding in:
-around the body passes
-windmills
Fascia foam roller release on tight areas
(typically hip flexors and QLs)

2-3 Rounds (always being mindful to scale if needed)
-10 two arm swings
-10 walking lunges each leg with kb trunk rotation
-10 two arm swings
-5 clean and press on each side
-10 two arm swings
- 2 TGU’s on each side

Followed by Active Release Stretching

Trainer’s Bio
Sara-Clare Lajeunesse
CPT since 2003
Agatsu Kettlebell level 1
Crossfit Movement and Joint Mobility (Kelly Starett)
Can Fit Pro CPT and Pre/Post Natal
Background in dance, gymnastics, yoga and all around fun things that get you moving!

Medical Miracle brought to you in partnership with Agatsu Kettlebells

Sara-Clare Lajeunesse is a special human being and a very skilled passionate trainer. When I met her early this year, I knew she would add so much to what we offer at Urbanfitt. But I never knew to what extent and I'm so grateful to have her introduce so many training tools and techniques that I haven't been using. Of course, I'm not the only person who sees her unique talent.

Shaun Mozen, founder of Agatsu Inc. recently asked Sara-Clare to write a couple articles for his online magazine. Sara-Clare instructs Urban Warrior Group Training sessions and offer personal training at Urbanfitt. You can reach her at saraclare@urbanfitt.com.

Agatsu Inc. is the company that brought Kettlebell training to Canada. They are one of the worlds leading Kettlebell manufacturer and educators. They're products and training systems have been featured on shows like Breakfast Television, The Gill Deacon Show, and Miami Ink. From seminars to Instructor Course workshops, Shawn Mozen's Agatsu program will bring the best out of you. Shawn is the leading Canadian authority on Kettlebell training and has trained some of Canada's best known trainers and athletes

Here's is the first installment of Sara-Clare's articles. Enjoy!!!!

When Laura and the Professor first approached me about training them I was happy to have them as clients but terrified! You see Laura (61, retired administrator in Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, now a publications consultant) suffered from a spasmodic back and the Prof (KC, 78), named so because of his world renowned fame as a Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto, is legally blind AND if that wasn’t enough of a challenge for a trainer the Prof also has only one working artificial heart valve. Yup! He is a walking medical miracle!

His condition is so rare; his cardiologist doesn’t even have a name for it. In fact he is the only surviving person world-wide to be living a full and normal life with what he calls a coronary artery deficiency.

Prof’s physical limitations include:
For his heart
-he is medicated to lower his heart rate. Therefore fast movements and aerobic exercises quickly use up the little oxygen he has in his larger muscle groups.
-he only has one functioning artery in his heart and cannot be placed on his stomach for more than a few minutes.
Flexibility
-cannot stay seated upright without support.
-cannot bend laterally or flex forward any more than just above the knees.
Sight
-he is blind

The couple had been doing personal training for the past 12 years, but when the Prof (KC) was diagnosed 5 years ago with his heart condition Laura was bedside herself. “I asked the cardiologist” (who only took special cases) “what do you think? What should we do?” The doctor insisted that his lifetime of being active had helped him build a strong collateral artery system and was the reason he is still alive.

Knowing the severity of the Prof’s condition, they both decided it was time to add in another type of training to ensure his health would remain stable. They heard about the sort of functional training I do and started training with me one morning a week.

I began at ground zero. I had to use everything and anything I could to keep them both in good health and in excellent working condition. I started with bands, stability balls, basic yoga and walking. The bands quickly proved to be too little for the strength they both had and the ball was limited due to the Prof’s physical state. And although walking and gardening is one of his favourite hobbies, it’s not quite enough to maintain his necessary cardio conditioning.

And just to add to the mix Laura also has a spasmodic back issue that in the past has kept her laid out for days on end in pain.

Now imagine as a trainer what challenges this presents…. “How do you train senior clients with all these issues and physical limitations to have a better quality of life?...Kettlebells!

Thankfully Agatsu decided to make the 4 and 6kg bells! I have to laugh at this as Shawn did say at his cert ‘I don’t know why I even made these weights? They are almost useless. I mean a purse weights more than these.” Well, Shawn I’m so so glad you did.

Q & A’s

What was your first impression using the KBs?

Prof- “With dumbbells I have to do too much with my wrist. But with the kb I can relax my wrist in the drooping motion. It feels so much more comfortable. And with the lack of sight it is much easier to have a feel for what I’m supposed to do due to the shape of the bell.
Laura-“I like the kbs. And for KC it’s so much easier for him to grip the handle versus dumbbells and understand what he’s doing in his body as the kb works with what you are giving over to it. You can tell him to use either the handle or the bottom part and he can feel it out.”

What changes have you seen since beginning training?

Prof-“Before I started training my upper body was just in bad shape. I had no upper body strength. I always walked a lot but since we started training with you, what I refer to as the exotic muscles or peripheral muscles started to gain more strength. In convential weight training there is no attention paid to any of these stabilizing muscles. So I was always having trouble reaching around for the classic “purse in the car” (an ongoing saga between the couple know as the passenger purse grabber). I was reaching for this purse that didn’t really weight much but would always end of with a sore shoulder or arm and now I no longer have that. Now I can lift enormous purses. (He said grinning ear to ear).

What has been the greatest gain since using this type of training?

Prof “we are really turned on by the core (stabilizers) idea. Again that’s been new since we started this type of training with you. We had not really conceived of core and the importance of it before. These exotic muscles need attention and average weight training doesn’t do that.”
Laura “Since we have begun our training with you I no longer have any back issues. It’s all the exercise, stretching and complete range of motion movement that helps the most. In fact, in these past two weeks while we were away, we were hiking up chateau steps and thinking, wow we couldn’t have done this without Sara-Clare. From time to time when we’re away I can feel my back act up a bit, but then I just do some of the things you’ve shown us and it goes away.”

All training was going great until about two years ago when the Prof collapsed on a flight during one of their business trips to the States. The plane was brought in for an emergency landing and the Prof ended up in intensive care for 5 days. “In a very fancy hospital, lots of different folks, and they sent in a physiotherapist and an occupational therapist. I was all still wired up to things, with pipes and tubes and what have you, so it was hard to do things. But I apparently surprised them enormously. I was asked to hold out my arms. So I’m sitting there holding out my arms, sitting on the edge of the bed, and holding them and holding them and holding them. And suddenly she turns, she was writing something, and she sees that my arms as still there. She’s all excited. ‘You were supposed to lower them!’ she says. “Well you did tell me to.” As he laughs. “Apparently, my stamina was amazing them. There was lots of talk about me. Here I was at death’s door and doing things that were quite startling to her. She said you must exercise or do something? When I told what I did, her faced dropped. ‘You do all of that?’ Within 6.5 days he was cleared, got back on his flight and continued onto San Francisco for work.

Now if the above was not proof enough that proper exercise and diet will increase one’s chances at a long and happy life, last year the Prof started to suffer from an abdominal aortic aneurysm. This limited his already short range of motion to no more forward flexion! We continued our training even though it was challenging at times to say the least, and in November 2009 he had his “Triple A” surgery. At the time of his procedure his artery was only open 6.1 cm in diameter.

After 5 hours of surgery, large 6 inch incisions on either side of the groin and intensive care. All the doctors warned that it would be a very lengthy recovery and that hopes of him stabilizing would be slim for a while to come. But to everyone’s shock “he was literally walking to the bathroom on his own the next morning” Laura recounts. “It’s the nature of the exercises that we had done prior to this” that allowed him to heal so quickly.

As their trainer I have seen tremendous leaps in their stamina and flexibility, and they both agree kbs played a big part. “I think as one ages, one’s abilities tend to diminish. We can see this among our friends. But we are lucky as we’ve been able to maintain what stamina we have in training with you”… “My natural stamina of course has been degenerating for quite a while. I’m noticing when I’m tired but our training sessions tire me only for a short time, I have a nap and then I just feel incredibly better. Actually all my aches and pains are gone. I feel kind of tired but good.”

Laura then adds: “I try to talk our friends into getting involved with this sort of training and they just look at us with glassy eyes. But then I say look at KC (Prof) of all people and all he’s been through and he still exercises. It makes a huge difference in one’s life.”

“And in any case all these ‘squats’ make it much easier to plant trees in the dark! I have really bad range of motion, but getting down there and being able to reach and doing something quickly is now incredibly more possible than it used to be.” The Prof said of his favourite hobby gardening. It is now so much more possible that last month the two of them went to hull their own compost “it’s free if you can carry it yourself.” Which proved to be a great benefit as he is the resident green thumb for all the trees in their condo complex.

I have been training Laura and the Prof for about four years twice a week when they are not traveling at least one week out of every month. “We travel about 40 000 miles a year” not for pleasure but for business mostly. Today they are still hiking up chateau trails, Laura is picking up their luggage before airline porters can. The Prof likes to brag about how is wife will go to put her knapsack into the overhead compartment and sure enough there is always a young burley gentleman offering her his help. But when they go to lift the bag they are always dumbfounded by how much it weights and that such a little lady is carrying it! “It’s only about 26 kilos” Laura says with a smile.


-Sample Workout
Light Walking
Joint Mobility
3 Rounds
5 windmills each side
10 Thrusters
10 around the body circles left
10 walking lunges with external kb twist
10 around the body circles right
Followed by some active release therapy and myofascial stretching.

Trainer Bio
Sara-Clare Lajeunesse
CPT since 2003
Agatsu Kettlebell level
Crossfit Movement and Joint Mobility (Kelly Starett)
Can Fit Pro CPT and Pre/Post Natal
Background in dance, gymnastics, yoga and all around fun things that get you moving!

What is degenerative disc disease?

Yesterday, I had my 12th client come in and tell me that she was officially diagnosed with degenerative disc disease. I'm not afraid to work with people with issues. It's a challenge. But many people get diagnosed with this particular condition without knowing what it is.

There are some things that people with degenerative disc disease should never do like hyperextension in the low back or repeated forward flexion under force like crunches. The aging process makes these pad like disc wear down in our spines. Going to a chiro alone isn't going to solve the ongoing pain that can happen. People need to build sound core strength and release tension in muscles that can impact the low back.

Here's a little video explaining what degenerative disc disease is.



Every one's body is idiosyncratic. What might be fine for some people dealing with low back issues might not work for someone else. I personally like not living in constant pain. If I got a diagnosis like this, I would be doing everything in my power to keep my quality of life as optimal as possible. Wouldn't you?

Fun stuff to do in T.O. this summer for MOJO repair

Ever feel like you're playing adult? I do. I think that's a good thing. I am a bigger goof than my six year old and know I only have a short time that I'll be allowed to act like a goof in public so I intend to make the most of this precious time while I can. Or maybe you feel like you just get stuck in a routine of going to the same places and defer to the same activities in your free time. A recipe for stagnation folks.

So I researched this partly for myself so that I find new ways to play during my favourite time of year in my favourite city.
These are some things that sound interesting to me and maybe to you as well.

1) Stargaze at York University's Observatory

Haven't done this in years. I always find star gazing a great perspective building experience.

Choose a clear night, gaze into outer space and receive a quick astronomy lesson from top experts. York University offers free public stargazing activities on Wednesday nights -- 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. from May to August. Guests are encouraged to bring their own camera and snap photos of the stars.

2) Lie face down on the glass floor at the CN Tower

It's time to go back and do it again. The adrenaline rush will be worth it alone.

It looks scary but this two-and-a-half inch thick glass floor can withstand the weight of 14 large hippos. However, looking face down at a 1,122 ft. drop is bound to give you a few butterflies.


3) Wednesday nights at the Art Gallery of Ontario

I love the tree within a tree hall. I could sit in this amazing alone for an hour.

Housing over 36,000 works of art in its collection, the AGO is an excellent gallery worth visiting. You can do so for free every Wednesday evening between six and nine o’clock pm, when the museum drops its admission fee for the night.


4) Flying Trapeze

Once I had a super hero trapeze birthday party. I dressed up like wonder woman, who else would I choose. That was a long time ago...I want to fly again.

Toronto School of Circus Arts is one of few schools in Canada to offer it. Flying Trapeze involves taking off from a pedestal board, swinging out on a “fly bar”, performing a trick in mid air, being caught by a professional catcher, returning back to the bar, and then returning back to the board. Flying Trapeze is performed at the Toronto School of Circus Arts with safety in mind; students are harnessed into a safety line, and a safety net is always present beneath the Flying Trapeze.

5) Ontario Place

I can have fun here for sure. I might even bring my monkey with me ;)

This unique amusement park (owned by the Province of Ontario) has summer fun on interconnected artificial islands: a giant "outdoor soft play climbing structure"; foam-ball play zone; drop tower, super slide, and other rides; pedal boats; mini-golf; IMAX; outdoor concerts; even helicopter rides. Lots of pricing options: grounds admission only, Pay-As-You-Play; Play all Day; family price... Ontario Place has also been the venue of a Chinese Lantern Festival, in fall.

6) Hippo tours

This one sounds so funny and I know my monkey will love love love this. I've never been on an amphibious boat so what the hey!

A Hippo is a unique 40 passenger vessel that offers land and water tours of Toronto. Come splash into Lake Ontario on our Bus that Floats!. Experience one of Canada's most beautiful cities with all its historical sites and its magnificent waterways.
(416) 703-4476 or Toll Free (877) 635-5510.

7) Romeo and Juliet in High Park

I've been waiting for a play that my monkey could handle and it came this year.

This year the Canadian Stage TD Dream in High Park 2010 presents Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare's timeless tale of star-crossed lovers and feuding families directed by Dora Award-winner Vikki Anderson.
Dates: June 25 – September 5, 2010
Time: Tuesday – Sunday, 8pm (Gate opens at 6pm)
Venue: High Park Amphitheatre

8) Free concerts at Harbourfront

Anyone not taking advantage of this amazing Toronto offering is nuts nuts nuts. I saw amazing FREE shows last year in a beautiful venue by the water.

9) Outdoor movies in Toronto

Who doesn't like sitting outside and watching a movie. Well I think there's something kind of romantic about the whole thing.

If you've got any favourite playful Toronto summer activities post away!

I heart being a parent - why doesn't every body else?

Edward Keenan at Eye Weekly did a great little article on July 7th "The parent trap: parenting vs. happiness". I had to take a look after one of my fellow parent clients said that all the research shows that parents aren't as happy as non parents.

Here's an excerpt from Keenan's article. But you really need to take a look yourself because the article is so well done.

Parenting makes you miserable. This is something on which scientific consensus has pretty much been reached — it appears to be a question as settled as, say, the existence of global warming or the fact of evolution. As detailed in “All Joy and No Fun,” a story by Jennifer Senior in a recent issue of New York magazine, people with children report being less happy than the childless in pretty much every study of the question that’s ever been conducted. (If you think this discussion seems weird here in the Love & Sex section, I would direct you to the comment, quoted by Senior, from UCLA psychology professor Thomas Bradbury: “Being in a good relationship is a risk factor for becoming a parent.” So too is having sex — heterosexual sex in particular — I’d add.)

There's a whole lot of controversy around happiness psychology and the subjectivity involved in measuring one's happiness. It's hard to put a number on it. It also seems that this eternal quest for greater and greater levels of happiness really doesn't recognize that the peaks can't exist without valleys. How do you know you're happy unless you know sadness or what it feels like to have your heart ripped out of your chest? This quest for constant happiness in life seems to negate the fact that being a human is complicated. Personally, I don't want to live in Pleasantville. I want to experience as much as I can in my life and not spend my precious time avoiding things that might potentially make me suffer despite the fact that my heart and soul hungers for it.

I don't look at my child as a burden. She's a freakin miracle and is my best teacher. Growth requires struggle and I'm not here on this planet to stagnate whilst numbing out. I'm not saying you have to be a parent to grow but the people who really interest me aren't the ones who play it safe in life not allowing experiences into their lives that might mold them into a more compassionate human being. Besides, people who have children expecting to be in a constant state of bliss are freakin' funny. Parents who aren't experiencing increased levels of joy after having kids need to get some therapy ASAP so they don't regret not enjoying their children today. We are so lucky they love us so much.

Children keep us in check. Their laughter prevents our hearts from hardening. Their dreams ensure we never lose our drive to make ours a better world. They are the greatest disciplinarians known to mankind.
-- Queen Rania of Jordan

Jet lag is a drag - but can it actually take years off your life?

I'm jet lagged. I actually had no problem adjusting to the flying east time change being six hours ahead in Paris. But coming back it's been harder. Problem is that this time of year I CAN'T make myself go to bed early. It's my favourite time of year to be up late. So when I woke up at 4am this morning and could feel my body wasn't going to go back to sleep I knew today might be a little rough.

Looking for blog content that feels relevant to me, I googled jet lag health impacts and came up with loads of stuff. The best thing I found was a study from 2006 that actually showed that mouse mortality rates sharply increased after traveling from Washington to Paris once a week for 8 weeks. Now they didn't actually put them on a mouse plane and simulated airport travel, the lines, customs and cramped space. They just messed around with them in a lab. In my opinion if you add all the additional travel annoyances, their results might have been even worse. Sitting next to a space hog for 9 hours can definitely shoot cortisol levels up. Every time the woman beside me hit me with her elbow or touched my foot with hers reminded me of the potential for a huge clausterphobia anxiety attack.

In the study, younger mice seemed to rebound more quickly and were not immediately harmed by the jet lag. Simulated jet lag conditions were created by advancing and delaying the rodent's exposure to light.

Researchers aren't sure what conclusions to draw from the results.

Gene Block, the report's co-author, said older mice might be more susceptible to sudden light changes than younger mice. Or, he said, jet lag might be a health problem that builds up in younger subjects, causing future maladies.

The researchers found that 53 percent of elderly mice died when they were subjected to a simulated weekly flight from Washington to Paris over the eight-week study. The death rate dropped to 32 percent of elderly mice on a simulated Paris-to-Washington route, according to the study, which was published last month in the journal Current Biology. Seventeen percent of the mice in a control group died in the eight-week study.

Taken from Washington Post "Red Flag for Jet Lag"

Now my easy adjustment going out east could be attributed to the magic white pills the woman sitting in front of me gave me to take. She said they were melatonin and they seemed to help but how I can be sure it was that. Personally, I think coming back from vacation is always harder than going and this might be the cause of the drag in my heels today. Some people do have systems for preparing their bodies for time changes. Personally, I'm too freakin busy to gradually change my sleep wake schedule pre-trip. Who has time accept someone who doesn't need a vacation?

I'm not going to travel any less and I'm certainly not going to limit my travel to the Western Hemisphere.

As Abraham Lincoln once said, “And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.”

Random Musings Post Paris

Just some thoughts and observations I want to remember after visiting Paris. Some entertaining, some mundane...

Parisian men aren't stinky like people used to say. In fact, they have better style overall then Toronto men and good hygiene.

Ever wonder where this speedo thing for men came from? Guess no more. Public swimming pool REGULATION requires men to wear speedos! No poop.

Public swimming pool regulation also requires people to wear swim caps. There goes feeling sexy swimming in Paris. We visited an art deco swimming pool surrounded by two floors of old school personal change rooms. One guy holds the key to all the rooms and remembers where everyone goes. I told him he was famous (I had been told about his unique ability). He smiled and said he doesn't always get it perfect.



Foot wear for both men and women tends to be better whether it's casual or sassy.

Almost no one I saw except tourists has any structure to their hair style. That means no flat irons or freakin round brush blow outs. Natural hair texture people. No helmet heads and no stripper hair.

For the first time I waved at boats going by on the Seine and when they waved back I felt a little special.

Almost no one I saw had the fake looking chunky highlights many women can't give up. Let em go.

There is no waste of space in Paris and people live in tiny spaces. It's clear we just adapt to the space we are given.

You can't recycle metal in Paris...maybe all of France. Shit! That's so yesterday.

Word of advice. Don't ask a store clerk for help if they're restocking product. They will lose it on you especially if you don't catch on they're just pretending they didn't hear you.

I didn't see as many homeless people as I do on the streets in Toronto.

I break out into a cold sweat when I have to order food. Instead of trying to butcher my french, I ended up pointing to things and said silvuplay with a big smile.

The metro in Paris is freakin amazing but line 4 is the stinkiest. Seems it's the one that heads up north out of the city into a crummy neighborhood.

The metro in Paris was amazing but also was a bit like one of those mazes kids do on paper. There are many paths to point B from point A and if you are unlucky one of your stations might be closed.

The picasso museum is closed for 3 years. I understand a reno taking 3 years in the olden days without modern tools and electricity but what kind of reno takes three years in today's age?

The bathrooms in Paris are set up in such a way that men and women share the same sink in restaurants and sometimes urinals are in the common hand washing space too. I wasn't lucky enough to be washing my hands whilst a stranger went pee beside me.

Although you can't recycle metal, the lights are often on timers and energy conservation has always been a part of their culture.

Clafouti pastries are as good as the ones I got at numerous places in Paris although they could try to do an almond croissant with a squirt of chocolate in the middle.

We don't get the kind of aged goat cheese you can get in France very easily. I ate it at least 5 times in salad there. If we can get it here it's going to be ridiculously expensive.

French women are getting fat. Maybe not the old school french women but this whole french women aren't fat thing is starting to fall apart.

I only saw one gym and one martial arts studio the whole time we were there...in all of Paris.

My friend who lives in Paris said french women wouldn't accept the almost puke type of workouts we often engage in at Urbanfitt. End of discussion.

The only really muscular guys I saw in Paris were clearly gay.

Many Parisian playgrounds have really cool structures that almost look like sculptures.

Jump suits are huge in Paris but north american travelers who bought them and wore them couldn't pull them off partly because they didn't get where to put the waste/elastic/belt. Dare pantsuits only if you're sure.

Rose is extremely popular with lunch during a heat wave.

Small floral print dresses, pant suits, skirts are totally all over the place in Paris.

Only tourists walk around in running shoes, chucks or stylin sneakers excluded.

Sandles with a thick strip of leather or fabric around the ankle are big. Again, proceed with caution.

Bright red, short nails are in too.

Bright red lips and nude eyes are happening.

The strappier the sandal the better.

I heart Parisian pizza and I've never had anything like it here.

French men, even the hot ones, don't look for body perfection in themselves and even have little soft bellies. The operative word here in LITTLE.

It's hard to find brown bread in Paris and while the bagettes were a treat, I got bored of them fast unless I slathered a little cold butter on 'em.

They use the same type of lettuce at almost every restaurant I went to and kept thing simple with the salads instead of adding 12 different things.

More people smoke in Paris than Toronto but it's not fashionable the way it used to be. You can't smoke anywhere but outside now and people will shoot dirty looks at others who light up on patios. Major cultural shift.

The best thing I saw in Paris was the Yves Saint Laurent Exhibition at the Petit Palais...by far. Thanks Pia.




Most fashionable little girls don't wear bright colours.

In France, parents are allowed to get mad at other people's children in public even if they're strangers.

My daughter met her first bullies at Place de Vouges. Even though I kept staring them down to get those nasty five year olds to leave her alone, they were relentless even fearless.

Kids start going to full time school at the age of three which might explain their different level of toughness.

Generally the only really overweight people I saw were ethnic minorities or tourists.

The normal serving size of a Parisian ice cream cone is the size of a golf ball.

Last time I visited Paris, it was rude to walk around eating food. Now more people, not only tourists, eat on the run.

Coffee serving size in Paris is about a quarter of the size of a tall at Starbucks. We have a reputation for being caffeine-aholics.

They have hard core locks on their doors in Paris. Four deadbolts and upper and lower locks. Maybe we're more trusting in Canada?

A heat wave is better experienced in Toronto vs. Paris. We have no problem milking the planet to power air conditioners here.

Taxi drivers in Paris even have style and grace albeit too much attitude at times. Our first taxi driver upon arriving dropped us off in the middle of nowhere after he couldn't find our address. We had no cell phone and my daughter had just finished getting sick in the cab (no on it, in a bag). Where's the heart man?

An apartment in downtown Paris that is comparable in size to my house would cost about $1.5 million bucks, way way more than the price of my house.

Last but not least, the shit is off the streets. There is way less dog poop on the streets than there was in 1995. Hooray!

That's about it for random musings. It's about 4 am Paris time and I need to turn in and get back on Toronto time.

Things we've done in france so I don't forget!

I'm using this blog post partly as a notebook and partly as a way to make you all drool over my vacation avec my monkey. We've done and experienced so many things that I want to make sure I don't forget when I go back and look at all the freakin' pictures! We're not packing things in like an annoying bunch of 'got to get it all in' type of tourists. We're actually enjoying everything moment by moment and not over planning at all. Just kind of fly by the seat of our pants day by day.

Please pardon my spelling...my computer battery is about to wear out and I bought the wrong adapter!

Visited Versailles
Went to the top of the Eiffel tower
Musee Dorsay and loved the glass floor
Sat by the Seine and put our feet in
Sat by a fountain at Champes Elyses and put our feet in to combat the sweltering heat that day
Visited Petit Palais and saw and excellent children's art exhibition
Took the boat bus through the Sienne
Had a picnic on the Eiffel tower lawn
Went on a carousel beside the Eiffel tower (yes lots of Eiffel tower activities for the midget)
Visited the Sewer Museum...so cool
Ate crepe with nutella
Walked through the latin quarter
Took a boat tour on the Seine at sunset
Had a glass of wine in the main Marais square
Played at the park beside Musee Picasso twice
Shopped during the famous Parisian summer sales (I know have three jump suits and no they don't look to young for me!)
Visited Gustav Moreau's house which is now a fantastic museum with a spiral staircase that would awe any 6 year old
Took pictures with a gold human statue
Asked two cute french police officers for directions
Wandered in comtemporary art galleries in the Marais
Ate the BEST almond croissant I've ever ever ever had in my life
Ate french pizza for the first time which is much different loaded up on top of phyllo. OMG
Drank a cold glass of beaugolais served according to the french custom
Visited Notre Dame
Walked down part of the Eiffel tower in bare feet (bad shoe choice!)
Heard a crowd of thousands cheer from the top of the Eiffel tower when Germany won
Ate the BEST quiche I've ever had in my life
Ate the BEST Creme brulee I've ever eaten in my life

Seems there's lots of mention about food and drink...no wonder my monkey looked at my belly today and said "it looks like you have a baby in there". I was bloated yes but I have a feeling I'm going to come back a couple pounds heavier.

Tamil hosts, Cuban food, my first sari and the top of the Eiffel Tower

Today was a day that won't happen again. We stayed with a Tamil family outside Paris in a commune (not like you might think. Commune means town in France) for three days and are now in the Marais. One of the truly phenomenal human beings on the planet, Cheran Rudhramoorthy, arranged our home stay with his friend Jeya.

I never thought I'd come to Paris in order to get in touch with my prejudice regarding cultures that engage in arranged marriages. Well the last three days I came up close and uncomfortable with my own judgement towards the people that engage in this practice. Within the first hour of arriving at this wonderful family's home, I discovered we would be staying with a very traditional Tamil family. I've never known anyone who was in an arranged marriage much less had been welcomed with open arms as virtual strangers into their family. It's easy to get complacent with thinking that we don't carry around prejudice living in a multicultural city like Toronto. But we all do to some extent as I discovered. After a while, I stopped paying attention to Jeya's continuous questioning regarding me not being married. For her, she was truly just expressing her concern for me while at the same time trying to understand how we are different from one another.

Although Neuilly sur Marne was a bit of a trek to Paris, seeing a suburb in France and knowing this family was probably the most eye opening experience I've had in the several times I've visited France. Their town was a huge melting pot of different cultures and languages, each moving fluidly with amongst one another. In the last three days, I was able to navigate our way to Versailles and back taking about four trains and one bus each way. The midget was a superstar and was a bundle of joy visiting the Musee Dorsay after that huge trek in the same day. Not one complaint despite the brutal heat that finally loosened its grip on Paris today.

Jeya's family treated us like we were family, no ifs ands or buts about it. Today, they took us out to the only Cuban restaurant in Paris where the father works 16 hour days 7 days a week.


Before saying good bye, I gave one of their daughter's something and she responded by giving me a sari she never wears. I come to Paris and am given a beautiful sari?



What? They don't have a lot and live in a small two bedroom apartment with four people and they wouldn't let us pay for a thing. They bought us gifts and then wouldn't even let me pay for lunch today.

After lunch we said our goodbyes and I left them feeling like I hadn't done nearly enough to show my gratitude. I am truly humbled by the amount of generosity they showed us.

Later in the day we wandered through the contemporary art galleries in the Marais and shopped a little. We even stopped at the Musee Picasso park and playground. I've found my heaven in the Marais.

After a quick nap I woke up first and worked out for 20 minutes. Only five days of no stretching or conditioning I could feel my ass tightening up in a bad way and my hips weren't happy. I can't imagine not doing anything for a freakin year like so many people! I could feel the difference in a few days!

We dressed ourselves up, me in the jump suit I bought. Yes, jump suits are happening here and I will be bringing mine back to sport in the big smoke. Then we headed to the Eiffel tower and went all the way to the top where I proceeded to cry a little absorbing the experience. I never thought I would be at the top of the Eiffel tower with my beautiful 6 year old and am so grateful to see such a treasure through her eyes.

After getting lost a little bit via the Metro on the way back to the hotel, we finally arrived at midnight. Now I'm writing this with a small glass of vin rouge by my side, the sound of cheesy american party music pumping out of the apartments across Rue Saintogne thinking about what I'm going to have for breakfast tomorrow. Cafe au lait bien sur. Croissant? Baguette?
hmmm....Definitely breaking my protein at breakfast rule.

Ooops. Almost forgot to report back on the French women don't get fat theory that is so talked about. I would say maybe Parisian women don't get fat. I just spent several days in the French burbs and can't say I agree with this theory crossing the urban suburban population. What about the Parisian men you ask? Well they aren't stinky, and aren't fat and often have a cute little belly. Nothing big but just enough to show they aren't perfectionists when it comes to their bodies. Now that's sexy.