Going My Way?

It was an odd sight. A nattily-attired, elderly grey-haired gentleman on Parkside Drive with his thumb out hitchhiking.

I noticed him just as I was turning into High Park on my way to teach my Sunday, 9:00am Nordic walking class.

I drove on for a few seconds, then I slowed down. My curiosity was piqued. Plus I was running early and had time to spare.

I pulled a U-turn and headed back out the park gates. There he was, but now the thumb was down and he was peering back down the street. Looking for the streetcar?

I pulled another U-turn and drew my car up beside him. His friendly and surprised face looked in my passenger window, and with a gracious thank you he slid into my passenger seat.

“Thank you so much for stopping,” he said. “My app says the streetcar should have been here 10 minutes ago, but there’s no sign of it.”

He needed a lift just up to Bloor Street, about a three-minute drive away, he said.

There was time for a little chit chat.

“Did you go to school in Toronto,” he asked.

”No,” I replied, “but I’ve been here for many years.”

He had enjoyed teaching at Loretto Abbey for over a decade, he said.

Suddenly we were at Bloor, and I pulled the car over to the curb. I wished him a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday.

“Many blessings to you, my dear,” he said. ‘”You have done a good deed today. I’m a Catholic priest on my way to perform morning mass. Many many blessings to you.”

The Happy Club

If you’re looking for an energizing workout in spectacular scenery with some interesting conversation, my Sunday morning Nordic walking Adventure class in High Park is the place to be.

With over 400 acres to explore, High Park’s wooded trails, steep hills, staircases, and even secret paths allow for a different route and different experience each week.

Last Sunday our merry group of 19 was traipsing along a mucky trail, with the endorphins flowing through our veins, sweat on our brows, and laughter bursting from various points of our gang.

As we approached a man and his dog walking toward us, he smiled as he recognized our group and then exclaimed, “It’s the Happy Club!”

It seems we have a reputation!

This is Canada's Best Gym!

Late autumn in High Park, Toronto

"You don’t have to go fast. You just have to go."

Sugar: The Bitter Truth

In 1972, a British scientist sounded the alarm that sugar – not fat – was the greatest danger to our health. READ MORE in this excellent article from The Guardian.

"Action is the antidote to despair." Joan Baez

Best Intentions Gone Wrong

When one of my personal training clients recently reported a tender left elbow, we were both puzzled. There were no obvious exercises in her program that could have been responsible for the ongoing pain.

“What have you been doing outside of your workouts?” I asked. “Moving heavy furniture, vigorous raking, overly-enthusiastic cleaning?”

We eventually agreed that the injury must have been caused by carrying home a particularly heavy bag of food from the grocery store.

But after four weeks of physio, the nagging pain was still there..

“There must be an everyday activity that’s irritating your elbow,” said her therapist.

After some thought my client realized that, yes, there was one action she was doing multiple times each day (perhaps even each hour) with her left arm: flicking her wrist to check her step count on her new Fitbit!

The ultimate cure? Simply a temporary switch of the watch to her other wrist and a more-relaxed approach to tracking her stats..

Lose 5 Pounds by Hardly Trying

If you’re determined to lose weight but not having success, try this approach: change just one thing.

My personal training client John cut back on his nightly alcohol consumption and has seen immediate results.

He still has a nightcap each night. But now it’s only one glass, and that one glass is just a bit smaller than it used to be.

It makes sense that he’s lost five pounds over the last few weeks, by hardly trying, because alcohol is extremely dense in calories.

(One gram of alcohol has seven calories per gram, proteins and carbs have four calories and fat has nine .)

The beauty of this approach to weight loss is that it takes very little effort. No need to weigh your food or to drastically change your cooking or food consumption habits.

Simply commit to one small but permanent change.

Not a drinker?

• If you love sweets, could you eat dessert just on weekends?

• If you snack while watching t.v., could you switch to healthier choices on some nights?

• If you drink pop, could you substitute soda water for some servings?

Give your new habit two weeks to develop and stick. Then, if you’re feeling particularly energetic, you could change one more thing if you like.

But don’t overwhelm yourself.

After all, this lazy weight loss method is meant to take no effort at all.

Ready to Transition?

If you’re an outdoor exerciser— a walker, Nordic walker, runner or cyclist—the change of seasons signals that it’s time to switch over to a new workout wardrobe.

Here in Toronto, the sun is just a little warmer, and the snowbanks have almost melted away. But there’s still a chill in the air.

What to wear, what to wear

Take my advice. Ditch the bulky down coat and multiple layers that got you through winter so well.

Your new best friend is a light down vest.

It will provide a wind break and keep your core cozy.

At the same time it will free up your arms and armpits to help avoid the build up of too much heat and perspiration.

If you’re a Nordic walker, the sleeveless design is perfect because it lets your arms swing freely from the shoulders. Bulky jackets, cross-the-body purses and backpacks can all limit your shoulder movement making it tricky to use your poles properly.

Go shopping

Of course, you really should have at least two down vests:

• A slightly puffier one is perfect for cold days when worn under or over a light jacket in the winter.

• A light down vest over a thin sweater or T-shirt is ideal for spring and fall. It’s also great for layering under winter coats.

• An extra-light vest is excellent for holidays in places where the temperature might suddenly dip. Look for the type that comes in a tiny pouch that occupies almost no room in a suitcase, pocket or backpack.

• You can buy them just about anywhere. Uniqlo has lost of options at reasonable prices, and MEC always has a good variety.

The big question: What colour for your new spring vest?

I suggest going for something bright and cheery to express your joy at finally shedding those heavy winter layers.

Could Push-ups Foretell Your Future Health?

A new study from the Journal of the American Medical Association reports that men who can pump out 40 consecutive push-ups are substantially less likely to experience a heart attack than men who can complete just 10 or fewer.

Here are the surprising findings:

• Men who completed at least 11 push-ups had less risk of developing heart problems in the following decade than those who could do fewer than 10.

• Most eye opening? The men who did 40 or more push-ups had 96 percent less risk of heart problems in the next 10 years than those who quit at 10 or fewer.

• To the researchers’ surprise, push-up proficiency proved to be a better predictor of future heart problems than the classic treadmill aerobic assessment.

So get down and give me 11!

If you can’t do 11, no worries. Start where you are, and gradually work your way up….hopefully to 40!

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If you’re one of my personal training clients, you know exactly how many push-ups you can do..

My clients all do push-ups and for two key reasons: they’re super-efficient at strengthening every muscle in the body, and they’re the most empowering exercise of all.

And now, of course, heart health is a third reason.

If you shy away from push-ups, don’t be intimidated by them.

There is a variation for every fitness level—from the basic standing-at-the-kitchen-counter option to the advanced feet-elevated-on-a-bench version.

I Know If You’re a Professional Writer

As writers (professional or otherwise), we should all have the same goal: to hold our readers’ attention so they keep reading.

Here are five quick tips to eliminate some of the road blocks that can stop readers in their tracks.

1. Keep it tight
Delete unnecessary words and phrases. (Contrary to some thinking, more words don’t make you sound smarter or more eloquent.)

For example, instead of, “at this point in time,” try, “today” or “currently.” Instead of, “I had the opportunity to meet,” say, “I met.”

2. Get it right
Learn how to correctly use “that” and “which” as well as “that” and “who.”

For example: “The dogs, which were barking loudly, looked dangerous.” And: “I prefer the person who had the great résumé.”

3. Get this right too
Use the words “less” and “fewer” correctly. If you can count it, use “fewer.” Otherwise, use “less.”

For example: “I have less milk and six fewer cookies than John.”

4. Careful with the caps
Job titles are (usually) only capitalized when they precede a name.

For example, “I admire Prime Minister Trudeau. He is the second-youngest prime minister we’ve elected.”

5. Make it easy on the eyes
Break your copy into multiple paragraphs, and use bullet points and numbered lists to create more white space. Even if your writing is brilliant, pages that are dense with words are visually intimidating to readers.

Test Drive #1: Outbound Heated Mittens

Keeping my body toasty warm while I’m walking, running and Nordic walking is never a problem. After all there are so many great options when it comes to winter socks, pants, jackets and accessories.

But my hands are almost always ice cold, no matter what kind of gloves or mitts I wear.

Cold hands can be a particular problem for Nordic walkers — when you’re holding poles there’s no option to stick your hands in your pockets or your armpits for a quick warm up.

But this winter I discovered battery-operated mitts. Hurrah!

Like an electric blanket for your hands, the soft fuzzy lining starts heating up as soon as you flip the ‘on’ switch.

Sure the battery packs are a bit big (they each take 3 AA batteries), but they’re really not that noticeable.

I have yet to try them in a deep freeze, but at -5C they they have performed beautifully.

Interested in your own pair? I got mine at Canadian Tire for $44.99, and the brand is Outbound Heated Mittens.

(They get a surprisingly low rating from the small number of reviewers on the Canadian Tire website, but don’t let this stop you from trying them for yourself.)

FEBRUARY 2019 UPDATE: My mitts got a good cold weather testing this past weekend: skating at Patinage en Forêt in Quebec (minus 15C) for one hour and skating on Ottawa’s Rideau Canal for two hours (minus 12C). My hands were perfectly warm. In fact, the mitts eventually got too warm and my hands got sweaty….so I had to turn them off!

DECEMBER 2023 UPDATE: I believe that these gloves are unfortunately no longer being stocked by Canadian Tire. Look for them or other brands at other sporting good stores. Also, handle them with care. While mine continue to work well, one of my participants was a bit rough with hers and this damaged the heat-conducting wires…and they are no longer conducting heat.

JANUARY 2025 UPDATE: Check this link for my latest heated mittens Test Drive.

Note: As with all of my Test Drive blog posts, I’m sharing simply because I love the product—no sponsorships or renumeration involved!

6 Signs Your Personal Trainer is Awesome

At cocktail parties, people always perk up when they learn I’m a personal trainer. They love to share stories about their own top-notch trainers or not-so-great ones from the past.

(I’ve heard of trainers who check their cell phones during sessions, who share details about their love lives, and who wear embarrassingly skimpy training clothes. Sigh.)

If you’re in the market for a fitness expert to help you meet your own health goals, I suggest first looking for someone with a positive and empathetic personality.

Then be sure there’s a good fit with your personal style (do you need loads of praise and support or someone with a drill sergeant approach?). Also check that the trainer has experience with any health issues you are managing.

And, of course, it’s critical that the person is accredited by a national certifying body. After all, anyone with a mat and some dumbbells can pose as a personal trainer.

What else?

Here are 6 surprising behaviours to help you spot a top personal trainer in action.

1. Cuts you off mid-sentence
A good trainer doesn’t hesitate to interrupt if you’re telling a story. “Hold that thought for a minute so you can concentrate on the exercise,” I might say. I love hearing about your kids and vacations, but only at the start or end of the session or very quickly between exercises.

2. Walks and talks
If you continue your story, I’m listening, nodding and responding. But I’m also on the move setting up the next exercise to keep the energy flowing. We have goals to meet after all.

3. Never sits on the job
Does a football coach sit down to call out plays? A good trainer doesn’t either. If you’re down on a mat planking, crunching or stretching, I’ll crouch, lean over or squat. But I’ll never sit or even perch.

4. Isn’t your friend
Trainers and clients often develop close relationships. But I find that being friendly rather than friends is always best. If we’re friends why are you paying me, and are you really going to listen to me as an expert?

5. Is all business
The best trainers approach each relationship as a business project with goals and objectives and keeping the ROI at the forefront. If you don’t relate to this approach, I’ll play it down while still keeping you on track for success.

6. Zips out the door
After every workout, a top trainer makes a quick exit right on time. We both have busy lives and other commitments. During every workout you should feel focused and invigorated with no worries that your session could run late and create havoc for your calendar.

If the prospect of finding an outstanding personal trainer seems overwhelming, keep it simple and go with a knowledgeable and experienced trainer who feels like the most natural fit.

She’ll help you reach your goals because she’ll be focused on you – not her cell phone, boyfriend troubles or the reflection of her own abs in the mirror.

Would You Play Tennis with a Badminton Racquet?

It doesn’t happen often now, but years ago people would sometimes arrive at one of my Nordic walking clinics with cross-country ski poles.

It’s understandable. After all, we do call Nordic walking “cross-country skiing without the skis.”

While I no longer see ski poles, I do occasionally have people arrive to a class with hiking poles.

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“Why can’t I use my cross-country ski poles for Nordic walking?”

• Cross-country ski poles are much longer than Nordic walking poles.

• Cross-country ski poles have very thin handles and simple wrist straps. Nordic walking poles (from Urban Poling) have thick strapless handles and a large Ledge on their base. (Exerting pressure on the Ledge is critical for creating forward propulsion.)

• Cross-country ski poles are a fixed length. Nordic walking poles telescope in length so they can be shared with friends of different heights and be easily transported.

• Cross -country ski poles are designed for landing on soft snow; they have no shock absorbing features. Nordic walking poles, which are often used on sidewalks and other hard surfaces, come with three shock-absorbing features.

• Cross-country ski poles lack angled rubber boot-shape tips that are requiredfor walking on sidewalks and other hard surfaces.

“Why can’t I use my hiking poles (also called trekking poles) for Nordic walking?”

• Hiking poles have simple loose wrist straps (to stop them from dropping to the ground if you release your grip). Exerting pressure on the straps isn’t very effective at propelling the body forward .

• Hiking poles tend to be extremely light (since their purpose is to minimize effort). Nordic walking poles are often slightly heavier (to help maximize the intensity of the workout).

• Some hiking poles have a “swing weight” integrated into the bottom of them and/or a spring-loaded feature, both of which make Nordic walking awkward.

• Hiking poles lack angled rubber boot-shape tips. (Some have round plastic tips, but these are often just to cover the sharp carbide tips while transporting them.)

If you’re not quite ready to commit to Nordic walking, borrow a pair of real Nordic walking poles from a friend or your instructor for your first few outings. Only with the proper equipment and technique can you get a true understanding of any new activity.

I Have a Lot of Fitness Shoes — But There’s a Smart Reason For It

"You're wearing a different pair of shoes every time I see you!" said one of my personal training clients last week.

It's true. But honestly, I don't have one of those crazy shoe obsessions. I just know that standing in happy, dry and comfortable feet is always the best way to start any workout. And a different shoe is often required for each different activity.

A quick glance in my closet shows a dozen or so pairs of athletic shoes--hiking shoes for Nordic walking, waterproof shoes for rainy days, shoes for running, shoes for fitness classes, cycling shoes, casual athletic shoes for everyday wear, etc.

I sometimes even have two pairs of one type in rotation since they tend to last longer this way.

Not sure which shoes are best for you? Skip the big box stores. While they may sell familiar name brands, the $69.99 shoes they sell here are really only appropriate for casual walking.

Instead, go directly to a good athletic shoe shop. Staff there will quickly evaluate your gait and then present shoe options (likely $150+) that are good for you and your planned activity. Consider fit, comfort, weight (lighter is almost always better), and looks.

One last point: Once you've made your shoe choice, wear them just for workouts. Athletic shoes maintain their cushioning and support for a limited number of steps — so don't waste steps in your special shoes in the grocery store! Instead, pull on a pair of older athletic shoes when it's time for shopping, gardening or a casual neighbourhood stroll.