Our Blog

Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian When it comes to health and fitness goals, we're all often looking for that next new shiny thing that's going to change our lives. It makes sense - when we find something new, it seems fun and exciting. We're super motivated and hitting our goals or targets seems like a game. But eventually, that shine wears off and it starts to feel like a chore. We start to slip more often and might not be seeing the progress we were before. Often this leads to us giving up entirely. Until we find that next new shiny thing. And the cycle repeats over and over again. As a dietitian, I have clients come in all the time looking for some magic secret. They're hoping there's some trick or hack or secret diet they haven't heard about before that's going to stick forever and fix all their problems. I wish I had one. In reality, the best nutrition advice I can give you is not shiny or magic. While there may be new things you need to learn for specific conditions or needs, the basics for most people are the same. Eat lots of vegetables and fruit. Choose whole grains and high fibre starches over more refined versions. Eat a source of protein at most meals and aim for variety in these sources. Include healthy fats. Wash, rinse, and repeat. If most people did these most of the time, they would see improvements in their energy levels, their performance in the gym, and in their health overall. The hardest part of all is sticking to it for the long-term. It's not a 75 day challenge with an end date, it's the rest of your life. The key is finding ways to incorporate these basics over and over and over again, in ways you enjoy enough that you'll keep doing it. Is there more to nutrition than these basic pieces? Absolutely. And if you have concerns about a specific condition or need, you should seek out credible information for that. But the basics still apply, and are being consistent with these is what will get you those biggest gains in your health and fitness. Looking for more personalized nutrition advice? Let's chat! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com for more info, or CLICK HERE to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat!

Written By: Coach Kelly When it comes to our fitness and nutrition routines, there are a few resources we need to consider that we either have a lot of, some of, or minimal of. These are: Time Money Environment Support Skills Together, these 5 resources give us the framework for what style of fitness is going to fit us best, what our schedule may look like, and our overall enjoyment of the program - this equates to PROGRESS and CONSISTENCY! Time Considering your regular daily or weekly schedule, how much time do you have to commit to your fitness and nutrition? For example, if you work Monday to Friday, 8-5pm (leave the house at 7:15am, home by 5:45pm) does a morning workout or evening workout make more sense for you? Do you work shift work? Maybe you work from home? Maybe you're a student in school? Do you have kids or pets at home? Would it make the most sense to book into 2 Group Classes per week, or maybe Personal Training gives you the most flexibility in terms of time. Consider your recovery time as well (sleep, eating). This must be added in, too. Overall, everyone's time requirements will be different, so it's important to not compare yourself, but rather, focus on what you want and the time you have to commit to it for the long haul. Are you struggling to manage your time, or even find it for your fitness and health goals? We can help! CLICK HERE to book your FREE intro meeting to make a plan that works for you, or, email info@degreefitnessseaforth.com to inquire.

Written By: Coach Kelly In this blog we'll touch on why it's important to stay active as we move through all stages and ages of life, and how you CAN do it! The thing with fitness is, it doesn't actually need to be as complicated as the media makes it seem. Also, we need to remember that it is OK, and normal, for our exercise to change and shift as we move through life. At our Wellness Coaching Classes , the focus is creating a small group environment that offers support, certified coaching , and movements that are tailored to each individuals' unique needs and wants from their program. This means that movements are designed to help you not only get a great workout in the gym, but also make sure that you can continue to thrive throughout your entire life, not just the first 50 years. There are a thousand reasons to stay active. If we name a few.... - Decreased risk of chronic or acute disease and illness (ie. diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular challenges) - Decreased risk of falling, which drastically decreases your risk of chronic or acute injury if this were to happen - Improved mood - Increased socialization - The ability to stay independent at home and in the community (ie. self care, cleaning the home, tidying the yard, taking care of grandbabies, etc.) The next question is, how do we fit it all in? How can we make it work? A big roadblock to starting or staying active as we age tends to be physical barriers (ie. arthritis, joint replacement) or simply that are harder so we avoid doing them all together. The easiest, fastest and most effective way to get the benefits above, and make it fit is to check out the Wellness Coaching Program. Your classes are created for you, and tailored to you. Your Coach will check in with you regularly, and we consult with any health care providers you may be working with as needed to ensure we are providing a safe space for you. The best part? You just have to show up! Join us at our FREE 'try it' class on Wednesday, May 1 from 930-1030am to try a class out! This is a perfect opportunity to see the space, meet your Coach, and see the benefits of the program first hand. To register email maryjane@degreefitnessseaforth.com or call/text 519-441-7492 

Written By: Coach Kelly One of the greatest disservices that the fitness industry has done for the general population is make us believe that in order to hit our goals, feel our best, or get super strong and fast, we have to workout at 100% effort all of the time. This is simply untrue, ineffective and unsafe in the long run. We use the term "minimum effective dose" to describe the minimum amount of exercise or physical activity you need to do to elicit changes in your fitness or health level. This is important, because as busy adults with many other stressors and responsibilities in our life, expecting to be able to hit maximal effort all of the time is simply impossible, and as stated above, inefficient and unsafe in the long haul. We need to consider our minimal effective dose for a few reasons: - Do you have a group of friends, big or small? - Children, pets, hobbies? - Do you work full time or part time? Finally, consider that the more time, effort, and focus you dedicate to your training, the more time, effort, and focus you also need to dedicate to your recovery. This is why we encourage clients and members to stay consistent in a way that isn't detrimental to their physical and mental health! Are you struggling to find the right balance of intensity and recovery? Or, just feeling lost? We can help! CLICK HERE to book your free Intro Meeting to learn about our programs and find the best fit for you, or email your team directly here to set up an appointment. 

Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian As this blog is being written in early spring, the seasons are literally changing - spring is coming! And with the literal changes in season often come changes in the seasons of our lives. The people who are most consistent with their nutrition for the long-term (years, not weeks) are those that learn to roll with the changes and find ways to do the best they can. Let's check out 4 ways you can adapt your nutrition goals to fit the season you're actually in: 1. Assess what else is going on! We don't eat in a bubble. Nutrition is one thing we might be focusing on amongst many other things in our lives. In this season right now, what else is happening that's important? Maybe you have kids starting a new sports season with a new schedule. Maybe you or a family member gets much busier with work this time of year so cooking responsibilities have to shift. Take a minute to take stock of what else is happening and think about how that impacts your ability to make nutrition changes or tackle your health goals. 2. Focus on the changes that actually matter for you! If you're in a busy season, you may not have capacity to do everything you "should" in terms of healthy eating. This is where prioritizing different components of what healthy eating means for you can help. The things you focus your effort on right now should be the things that make the biggest difference, not the things that make a minor difference. For lots of people, this could mean focusing on including enough fruits and vegetables, including enough protein, planning and packing balanced snacks, or drinking enough water. If you're managing a specific medical condition that has a nutrition component, work with your doctor or dietitian to figure out what changes will give you the biggest impact for your effort. If you can't give it 100%, any amount of effort is still better than none. Maybe you know there will be a lot of take out or convenience foods in your diet, but you can still get enough water. Maybe your eating schedule will be inconsistent, but you will prioritize protein when you do have a chance for a snack. Whatever this time looks like for you, be realistic about what you can accomplish and what that may look like. 3. Plan for what you can! Yes, everyone knows meal planning is useful for a lot of reasons. For busy people with lots of priorities and schedules to manage, planning can make the difference between eating well and being less stressed, and feeling like you're flying by the seat of your pants. You don't need to plan for every single meal, but planning for the ones that may be the most stressful can be beneficial. If you have nights you know are very busy, plan that dinner ahead. If you're working long hours, plan for your snacks. Even if the plan is to grab a pizza, you're cutting down on making decisions when you're already stressed and making your life easier. 4. Know that good enough is good enough! No one is doing nutrition perfectly all the time (maybe professional athletes but someone else is probably doing the prep, planning, and cooking). Make sure to remind yourself that doing what you can is still enough. In busy seasons, not everything can be a priority. Doing your best with nutrition if you would otherwise just give it up is still a step in the right direction. Making one small change is still a step in the right direction, even if it's not focusing on every single change you could possibly work on. In the last example where our dinner plan is to grab a pizza, adding a vegetable (a salad, a veggie tray, a bag of baby carrots, etc.) still makes it a more balanced meal, even if you feel the meal isn't the healthiest as a whole. The bottom line is that doing the best you can where you're at is always going to be better than not trying at all and waiting until things are perfect - because they never will be! Looking for more personalized nutrition advice? Let's chat! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com for more info about our Nutrition Programs, or click HERE to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat!

Written By: Coach Kelly At Degree, we are grateful to be able to offer different styles of Yoga to our members and community. Your certified Teachers, Kelly & MJ , bring their own unique styles and expertise to their classes. This offers you more choice, and different opportunities to take care of yourself! Restorative Classes & Gentle Flows MJ specializes in Restorative Yoga & gentle flows perfect for those looking for a really good wind-down type class. The Restorative classes offer the support of bolsters and props, where most poses are done in a lying position or close to the ground. These classes are the perfect starting point, or for those with limited range of motion, perhaps cardiovascular challenges, and overall a really gentle way to nourish your body, mind & soul. Upcoming Restorative Classes Tuesday, April 23 Tuesday, May 7 7-8pm $25+tx/class *To register email maryjane@degreefitnessseaforth.com or call/text 519-441-7492 Hatha Classes & Active Flows Kelly specializes in a more Hatha or Vinyasa style, that is, including more dynamic poses and sequences to build heat in the body. You'll find a blend of traditional poses, consisting of standing poses and those lower to the ground. These classes are a great middle ground for those looking for the gentle relaxation, with a dash of spice! You'll find strength-building and a splash of core work, always ending with a deep Savasana. Upcoming Classes Wednesdays 7-8pm May 15, 22, 29 June 5 7-8pm $25+tx/class *To register email kellymiller@degreefitnessseaforth.com or call/text 519-441-7492 No matter the class that you choose to explore, there is something for everyone! Not sure what to choose? Email kellymiller@degreefitnessseaforth.com for personalized recommendations!

Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian The weather is finally starting to look spring-like, or it should be soon! In the fall, many people find themselves craving heartier comfort meals. By spring, most of us are ready for lighter, brighter flavous and to lean into seasonal produce! It's time to bring some spring into your meals! One of the best ways to eat seasonally is to look at what produce is available, especially what you can get locally. As the season progresses, check out your local farmers' markets and roadside stands. Check out this Availability Guide from Foodland Ontario to find out what is available throughout the year. Early spring produce can include asparagus, rhubarb, spinach and radishes. Want to make your produce super local? Grow your own! While some plants while require more space, many can be easily grown in pots. To make sure you're including enough vegetables and fruit, try to make half of your plate these foods at most of your meals. After a winter of heartier dishes, switch gears to lighter options. Choose lean proteins like fish, chicken, turkey, or legumes. Instead of frying or stewing, choose roasting or grilling as a cooking method. For flavour, choose vinaigrette-style sauces with bright flavours over the heavier creamy options from winter. Look for recipes like salads that incorporate a variety of flavours and textures. Even soups can feel lighter than winter options if they are broth based or incorporate more seasonal vegetables. There's nothing wrong with allowing your tastes and food preferences to flow with the seasons. As the weather warms up, take this opportunity to choose lighter, brighter flavours and embrace seasonal options! Looking for more personalized nutrition advice? Let's chat! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com for more info about our Nutrition Programs, or click HERE to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat!

Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian In my work as a dietitian, every single day I hear someone say "I know I shouldn't look for information on social media but I saw....". It's a good thing that people are curious, and a good thing that they're looking for confirmation about whether something they saw is accurate. The internet in general can be a great tool - there's so much access to information! But because there is so much information, it can be overwhelming, and not all of that information is accurate or applies to every single person. Social media exacerbates this issue because everyone can post anything they want any time! On social media, it's hard to know what's true or not. The information shared can be perfectly accurate, somewhat accurate but taken out of context or exaggerated, or wildly inaccurate. If you don't know a lot about the topic you're looking at, you may never know which it is. You can always fact-check with a more reputable source, but many of us don't have time for that. Anyone on social media can make themself seem like an expert. If you're trusting someone for information, make sure the claims they make can actually be trusted. We all know that social media is a highlight reel, but it's always worth the reminder. Sure, you may be seeing all the workouts someone did and the healthy meals they're making, but that might not actually be representative of their habits. The trend of "what I eat in a day" videos is a great example of this - do they actually eat like this? Is it just this one day for the video? As a consumer of this content, you may never know. Nutrition information on social media is prone to exaggerations. Words and phrases like "never eat this" and "everyone should..." are catchy and get likes, but may not actually be true. Nutrition and how we eat to meet our needs is so personal. We could never say that no one or everyone should do anything! Going back to the example of "what I eat in a day" videos, even if we all ate and exercised exactly like any specific influencer, our genetics and biology mean we still wouldn't look just like them. Finally, because there's so much information on social media, it's hard to know what actually applies to us. If you're seeing nutrition information about a specific medical concern, that's only helpful if you have that same condition. In some cases, some of the information may be preventative (like heart disease and diabetes), but a lot of information is only useful for the people it specifically applies to. The bottom line is that social media can be great resource when it comes to nutrition - we can find information, inspiration and community. But we should always think critically about the information we're consuming to make sure it's accurate and actually applies to us. Looking for more personalized nutrition information or to make sure you're getting evidence-based advice? Let's chat! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com for more info about our Nutrition Programs or click HERE to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat!