YOU'VE GOT HEART!!

February is heart month.  We know everyone is familiar with the importance of exercise in cardiovascular health, so we thought we would explore “Heart” from a different angle.

The Winter Olympics begin on Friday, February 9^th.  Athletes put their heart and soul, along with a lot of sweat and tears, into their training. We all know to excel on the world stage, and to qualify for the Olympics, there is huge commitment to training, innate talent and ability, but that alone isn’t enough.  There is also drive, motivation and “heart” that contributes to success.  This month we will profile some local Olympians and share their view of what the “heart of an athlete” is.  We will also be following the 2018 Winter Olympics and cheering Canada’s podium moments.

For many of us, we can train with the heart and soul of an Olympian, and also shed our share of sweat and tears, but how often do we use the word “athlete” to describe ourselves?  We often underestimate our own abilities or downplay our achievements or efforts.  This month we’d like to hear from YOU about what makes you an athlete.  Now before you start thinking this doesn’t apply to you, think again!  Let’s not limit ourselves to the Merriam Webster Dictionary definition of athlete, that being “a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina”.  We want you to share your view of what the “heart of an athlete is”; share your stories, your frustrations and your success!!

We would also like to encourage everyone to take care of their heart, not just through physical exercise, but through connection with others, volunteering and giving.  For an interesting view on how volunteerism and social connection can improve our health, check out the Harvard Health Publishing Article.  If you want to take care of your heart focus on nurturing your relationships with others, but also make some time to focus on your mental health.  Another Harvard article shows that there are several studies suggest meditation may improve a number of factors that may contribute to heart disease. You don’t need to go to a class, or spend a lot of time meditating. Taking a 5 minute break, setting your watch, closing your eyes and clearing your mind can be all you need!  If you do want a guided meditation to follow there are lots of apps and programs out there to access.

We look forward to connecting with many of you throughout Heart Month and hearing your stories!

Why Hire A Fitness Professional?

January has arrived, and without a doubt this is typically the busiest time of the year for personal trainers and for people looking to hire trainers to assist with their fitness plans for the coming months or year. The Pulse Generators’ theme for 2017/18 is Exercise is Medicine and with that, our January topic is “Why Hire a Fitness Professional?”
Our month will focus on this question and address it from several angles, hoping to give you a better insight to the value a trainer can offer you with your future fitness goals and plans.

Here are a few things a fitness professional can do for you and help you with…

-        Provide you a fitness education. This is very valuable so you can choose the correct exercises for your goals and ensure you are doing them correctly to minimize risk of injury and maximize the effectiveness of your sessions. All Pulse Generator staff have at minimum two years of post secondary education as well as annual continuing education in our field.

- Help you with your unique requirements. Overcoming an old injury or tailoring the programming specifically to your goals is what we do. Put your trust in our wisdom.

-  Help you set Realistic goals. Let us help you set yourself up for success in staying on track over the long run and achieving a proper time frame in which to expect the success you deserve.

-   Guide you on specific goals. Maybe you have a bucket list event you want to do. A fitness professional can help you with the best approach to achieving this goal.

-   Hold you accountable. Knowing you have somewhere to be at a certain time will be a big deterrent from hitting that snooze button and skipping out. You are also financially accountable to this appointment so your excuse to skip out better be a good one?

-  Manage your fitness time efficiently. We have a plan for your time and want you to use it to the best you can to maximize your results. No more aimlessly wondering around the fitness centre.Your fitness session is a time to get focused and get away from distractions.

-  Act as your unofficial therapist. We want to help with your fitness, but can also be a listening ear for your mental health as well. We want to minimize your stress levels and support your overall well being.

- Help you form good/better habits. Since you are accountable to us, we know what you are up to and can help you change and create better habits for the sustainable future.

- We do our best to fit your schedule. Fitting exercise in can sometimes be very difficult so we aim to promote flexibility and provide some options to make things work for you.

- We Challenge you. A personal trainer is your life coach, nutrition guide and encourager all in one, and without them your fitness goals are that much harder to achieve. We want to inspire you to bring out the best in yourself and find out what you are really made of.

Follow the PG over the month of January as the PG staff all contribute to the topic of “Why Hire a Fitness Professional”.

Matt will bring you some info comparing studied results of training with and without a personal trainer. We will also have an interactive board up for your thoughts on barriers/ solutions to exercise and how a personal trainer can help overcome these barriers.

A few testimonials from our current and past clients will outline some thoughts on why they hired a fitness pro. Maybe some of these thoughts will resonate with you and assist you to reach out for some help.

January will also offer you the chance to ask us your fitness questions as part of an interactive workshop Q & A. Stay tuned for the date(s) and time for these sessions.

Finally we will introduce the Lifestyle Coaching concept as part of both motivation and accountability and how you can arrange a session with Mary to discuss your situation.

Stay tuned through January and learn how hiring someone to help you get started or continue your fitness journey may be the best investment you ever make. Come talk to us and see what we can do for you.

December ~ MINDFULNESS

We are not going to offer the usual Fitness Centre “Surviving the Holiday Season” messages.  Instead we are going to recommend a different approach – “Enjoy the Holiday Season”.  We are going to challenge you to replace the feelings of guilt and stress with those of joy and gratitude.

The month of December traditionally offers up more options for events and get-togethers, special treats and later nights. We are going to encourage you to embrace these opportunities to get together with friends, spend time with family or help out in your community…Don’t Miss Out!  And when you are there, be present in that moment making the choices and decisions that are right for you at that time.  Rather than judging, mitigating and regretting, just own and enjoy the moment!  This is called practicing Mindfulness and it allows you to be in the moment, responding in a way that brings you less suffering and more ease and enjoyment.

“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself but to your own estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.”  Marcus Aurelius

We do want to challenge you to prioritize your personal care and wellness as well this month.  We want to encourage you to allow yourself time and space to rest, to reflect, to be quiet, and to breath; to take care of yourself as it is defined in that moment.  It may be a workout, a stretch, or even a sleep.  Only you can answer that need or desire. 

Of course, the Pulse Generator will be here to support your needs with our 24 hour facilities and the

December additions of free stretching classes in all locations. We are grateful to you all for your support and participation over this past year and we wish you all a joyful and beautiful Holiday Season.