Learn To Love Yourself At All Ages and Stages!

May 26, 2023

Written by: Coach MJ


How many people have struggled with body image throughout their lives?


And it's not just one gender that struggles with this issue.


Even before social media, body image has been a big topic and affects how we look at ourselves and to be honest, how we sometimes look at people around us.


How often have you said or heard someone making a negative comment about themselves or others? When you receive a compliment how many times have you countered back with a negative response instead of graciously saying thank you? How often does a comment no matter how far from the past cloud your judgement on the way we see ourselves?


It takes work to accept where we are both at mentally and physically but it is a place we can reach if we take the time to learn to honor ourselves where we are today. We are constantly changing throughout our lives and may not always be where we want. Past events, stresses, illness, medications, lifestyles we choose, family history or genetics and age all factor into how the body functions in each stage of life.


Here are a few ways to help improve our own body image:

Change the way we talk about yourself. Start the day with stating a positive thing that you like about yourself, "I like or love my eyes, smile" ” I said I was going to do something yesterday and I did it!” Maybe it was getting out for a walk, getting enough water to drink, any goal no matter how small it may seem but was a win.


Write them down and see how many positives there are. When we start the positive self talk and begin to throw out the negatives it can be amazing the switch that changes in our brains.


Give a genuine comment to someone else. It doesn’t have to be big as long as it is honest. Looking at the positives in others may help us see it in ourselves when someone says it to us. 


Don't let others pull you down with their opinions.

It's okay to acknowledge their opinion if needed but leave it there, it is their opinion not yours.  I was told to say this out loud or in my head to help deal with naysayers. "That's an interesting point of view. But that's not my point of view!" Change to the word ‘opinion’ for ‘point of view’ if that works better and see if that helps reduce the affects the words have.


This takes practice to make a habit but over time it is interesting to see how others' opinions aren't as hurtful or matter as much as they once were.


Another way to work on improving our body image is to give ourselves grace.  If we are looking to change anything it takes time. So if we set a goal and we don't reach it on the timeline set, reevaluate. Ask yourself is this goal realistic for the time you set? How far did we get into the goal? What worked and what didn't.  Goals are just that, a starting point or direction to work toward.


Along with grace comes the skill of learning not to get upset when we miss a workout, fall off your meal plan or the path to our goal. It's okay, we are not perfect and do your best to reset and move forward. A good way to look at it is the 80/20 plan…aim for 80 % of staying on track towards our goal or plan and 20% leeway for the rest. This can free up the guilt of feeling of failure when something comes up in life and not feel like we have to miss. 




At Degree Fitness we work with all levels of fitness and abilities. Every person is unique to themselves and one of our goals is to help them be the best they can be where they are at now!


At the end of each group class or Personal Training session we ask for a Bright Spot. Often we focus on what we think wasn’t great in our workout or our day, this is our little reminder to each client that there is always a silver lining even if it is as simple as you showed up! 


We also encourage regular check in meetings with your coaches to help you not only set goals but check in how life is going and if there is anything we can help you with!





To find out more that Degree Fitness Seaforth has to offer give a shout to

info@degreefitnessseaforth.com or click here to set up a Free No Sweat Intro meeting with one of our Staff!

Just Start Somewhere!

July 23, 2025
Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian So often we put off making changes in our health and fitness because it's just so overwhelming. There's so much information out there and it feels like we need to do everything at once! Making big changes like joining a gym or overhauling your diet can be intimidating, even if we know how beneficial they would be. What if instead, we just started somewhere, right now? It doesn't have to be big or flashy. What's the smallest move you could make in the right direction today? Will one small change solve all your problems? Probably not. But one small change leads to another and another. And small changes maintained over time do improve your health overall. It's always better to do something than nothing! Here's some small changes you could try today or tomorrow to get the ball rolling: Not drinking enough water? Aim for one or two glasses more today. Want to eat healthier? Add and extra serving of vegetables or fruit today. Worried about your protein intake? See if you can include a source of protein at your meals today. Want to get moving? Go for a 10 minute walk at whatever pace feels good. The point isn't to tackle everything at once. The goal is to just start moving things in the right direction as you work towards your goals! Looking for more personalized nutrition advice? Let's chat! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com for more information about our Nutrition Programs, or click HERE to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat!

How Exercise Can Change Your Day (For the Better!)

July 18, 2025
Written By: Coach Sienna Training your body through exercise can provide more benefits than just improving your physical health. It can also support emotional wellbeing, mindset, mood and mental health! As much as working out can physically be tiring and challenging. It also challenges your mind which is just as good. Here is what is going on in your body when working out… Endorphins (happy, feel good hormones) Your body releases these when you are exercising and can impact how you feel. Example of this would be runners high. This happens when a release of these feel good chemicals occur during or after a workout. This happens biologically and is a mood elevator! Dopamine (motivation chemical) Is the brains reward chemical which also makes an appearance during exercise. This chemical affects your motivation and focus and overall sense of accomplishment and the “I can do anything!” Mentality. Serotonin (mood regulator) Serotonin helps balance your mood and keep you happy! Regular exercise can increase the production of this hormone.Overall change your day and even your life. Reduces Cortisol (stress hormone) Cortisol is our bodies stress hormone which can affect our mood negatively and make us feel like blah. During exercise this hormone is than kicked to the curb and replaced with our happy ones. Regular exercise can also help reduce this hormone over time overall leading a happy life. Confidence Since working out gives you a sense of accomplishment and that you did something hard. This can improve your confidence and help you release that you can do hard things. Confidence from a workout can help you flow into your work day with that same feeling and mindset. Movement as a Emotional Outlet Exercise can be hard and this can be a place to let out built up energy in your body instead of storing it. Maybe you had a hard week a work or something isn't working out in your favour. Exercise provides this outlet for these feelings and can help process them. Exercise is more than just a workout. You rewire your brain and change your mindset. It Improves your mood calming your nerves and provides an emotional outlet. Exercise isn't just for your physical health it also supports your mental health which is just as important! Ready to get moving? Book your Free Consultation by CLICKING HERE , or email us at info@degreefitnessseaforth.com to inquire.

5 Things to Ask Yourself Before Starting a Supplement!

July 7, 2025
Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian Supplements are a hot topic these days! It seems like everyone is on a different combination of products they swear by. Everywhere you look online, someone is trying to sell you a new shiny supplement, swearing that it will change your life. Supplements include vitamins and minerals, like multivitamins or those with a specific nutritient. The category of supplements also includes fibre supplements, electrolyes, probiotics, and many other products. There's just so many! There's many reasons to take supplements. Your doctor may diagnose a deficiency and recommend a supplement to correct it. You might need a supplement to make up for certain foods that you don't or can't eat, or to manage a specific condition. May people just take them because it seems like a good idea! And while many supplements are harmless, not all of them are harmless at all doses. Next time you're wondering if a supplement is for you, think about the following questions to decide if it's a good fit! 1. Could I get this from food? Sometime we have to take supplements because of things we don't or can't eat - but sometimes we can avoid the need for supplements altogether by using food! If the thing you need more of is found in food, you can often meet your needs without a supplement simply by learning more about what foods have that certain nutrient. For example, instead of taking vitamin C, you could focus on eating more fruits and vegetables to meet your needs. There are even nutrients that are more effective in their whole-food form than when they're isolated in a supplement! (Psssttt... your friendly neighbour dietitian is the perfect person to work with on this.) 2. What is this going to do for me? Often, people take a supplement just because it "seems like a good idea". This can lead to taking supplements that you don't need, which is harmless at best and can cause health issues at worst! If you are taking a supplement, it should be because you actually need it, not just for fun. One person may need a supplement because of their own dietary habits and health concerns, while the next person may not! 3. Who is selling me this? If someone is selling you a product, they can't possibly give you an unbiased opinion on whether you should be taking it. While you can definitely buy products to support your friends or influencers, make sure the product is actually the right one for you. Many people selling supplemented products may not have much or any health and nutrition education, and may not be the right person to be making recommendations. 4. How much is too much? Just because some of a vitamin, mineral, or other product is good, doesn't always mean more is better! Most vitamins and minerals have a Tolerable Upper Limit. This is the amount beyond which you could start to see side effects or health concerns as a result of taking in too much of the nutrient. Taking some supplements for extended periods of time can actually result in deficiencies of other nutrients! Some blended supplement products may also have very high amounts of certain nutrients, so remember to have a look at your labels. Check your supplements to make sure you're not taking in too much! 5. How do I know if it's working? If you are spending money on a product and using energy to remember to take it, it should be doing something good for you. So how do you know if it's working? For some cases, you may need to repeat bloodwork to see if a deficiency has been resolved or is being properly managed. For other supplements, you can assess for yourself based on whether any symptoms have improved. There are also some types of supplements that may just quietly do their job without you really noticing - and that's also ok! Make sure you know what to expect your supplement to be doing so you know if it's the right fit and working for you! Looking for more supplement advice? Let's chat! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com for more information about our Nutrition Programs, or click HERE to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat!