What is Fitness?
August 22, 2021
Written By: Coach MJ Fitness can mean different things to different people and can be confusing to others.
Let’s break down the words a little to determine what we mean when it comes to our fitness journey and how it all fits in.
Physical activity:
Physical activity can be described as the activities we do in our day to day lives. That can be movement we do in our work, at home or looking after our home and families. It gets us moving and all counts as part of your fitness routine.
Exercise:
Exercise can be described as a planned and structured physical activity for the purpose of working on your goals in your fitness journey. This includes all forms of exercise and sports.
Fitness:
Fitness can be defined as the ability to perform these activities. It can be tested in various ways to determine how physically fit you are. Also remembering that we are all at different stages of fitness depending on many different factors and not to compare ourselves to others or even to where we were at before.
Each one builds on the other to reach our fitness goals.
Our daily activities keep us moving to do what we need to do. Our exercise is the plan to stay strong and active to not only do our daily activities but all the extra activities we want to do as safely and efficiently as possible; Then our fitness is how well we can not only do our daily activities but determines how far we can push ourselves in the other areas of our life.
One factor that is a major limit to our fitness levels happens when we are dealing with an injury, regular wear and tear on the body or dealing with the stresses of life that can affect you such as depression, anxiety or overall feeling just plan blah. When any of these happen to us what is our most common reaction? To stop and do nothing, we shut down or quit. We all know this is not the best solution but it is a natural tendency to do.
This is where having a Coach comes in to help.
At Degree all of our members, group class members as well as personal training clients, have regular check in meetings with a Coach so we can have those conversations to find out when something is off and help our members learn how to navigate these situations!
A check in meeting is a one to one meeting to share bright spots, work on goals or a time to dig deeper if we need it. It is a chance to talk about anything that may be standing in our way of getting to our appointments or classes and finding solutions together to adapt movements to work for you as well as finding ways to help you get your workouts in.
There is no greater feeling than feeling better, stronger and ready to take on the world and all of its possibilities no matter what.
Finding ways to improve your mobility, flexibility and strength to be able to be the best you can at each stage of life is so important. Taking that step to finding ways that work best for you to do that can be the hardest part. At Degree we offer Free No Sweat Intro's so we can take the time to get to know you and get you started with the best program that will work for you. It’s also a time to get to know each other and find out if Degree is the fit for you!
Give us a shout today at info@degreefitnessseaforth.com
or Click Here to set up your time to meet with one of our expert Coaches to chat 1-on-1 to figure out the best path for you on your fitness journey!
Written By: Coach Sienna The media portrays fitness as looking a certain way and creating this picture of a “perfect person” who eats clean and works out everyday and does everything right and never messes up. When you're always being shown this version of fitness it’s easy to start to think, is this what being fit is? ..... And suddenly you find yourself comparing yourself to unrealistic standards. Fitness is much more than the shape of our body! It's about what your body can do for you and how it can support your daily life and how movement makes you feel strong, accomplished, proud, empowered! Here is how we can overcome the negative impact that some Media has on us, and fitness in general: Redefine Fitness Fitness is more than your body, it's strength, endurance, mobility, energy and how you feel. It's not supposed to be perfect or linear, your body will change and life will happen. What matters most is showing up for yourself and moving your body. Even a little bit can go a long way! Positive Self Talk You don't have to be perfect to love yourself. Be kind to your mind and speak to yourself with kindness. Remind yourself of what your body can do for you, remember you are WORTHY! :) Focusing On The Little Wins We often have such a heavy focus on how we look but what if it was never about how we looked but more about how we felt. Do you notice after you get in a workout or a session you always tend to have a lift in your mood and a shift in perspective. Movement has the power to make us feel strong and happy and more like ourselves! Do Movements You Enjoy Fitness should be fun and functional. You are more likely to stick to it if you enjoy it! Find movements that excite you. Like lifting, walking, running, dancing, gymnastics etc. When you focus on what your body can do and not what it looks like, you can start to see how strong and capable you really are! Set Goals Related To Movement-Mood-Function Movement - touching your toes or doing your first push-up Mood - Having more energy during the day and feeling less anxious Function - Carrying groceries, running around with your kids, etc. Remember - you are already enough! You don't need to look a certain way to be fit. You just need to move your body in a way you enjoy, take care of yourself and celebrate what your body does for you everyday! If you've been feeling stuck, or wanting to start working out with a Coach, or in an environment that is inclusive, inviting, safe, honours all body shapes and sizes, we can help! CLICK HERE to book a free meeting with one of our Coaches to learn how you can get started at Degree or, email info@degreefitnessseaforth.com .
Written By: Coach Sienna We know Cardio is good for your heart health but it is also good for our respiratory systems which help bring oxygen to fuel our muscles to do what they gotta do! By doing cardio we strengthen all of these components which help us live a happier healthy lifestyle! Your body is built to move and releases happy chemicals called endorphins from having an increased heart rate which can improve your mood. This can happen in just 10 minutes! We all know Cardio is an important part of our health but most of us just don’t have a lot of time due to kids, work, life etc. Just remember any movement is a good movement! No matter how long or short it may be. The little things add up (: Use this 10 minute at home cardio workout (no equipment needed!) to get your heart rate up and feeling your best even on the busiest days. 2 Rounds of 1 minute of Jumping Jacks 1 minute of High Knees 1 minute Air Squats or Jump Squat 1 minute of Burpees 1 minute of Mountain Climbers *Rest as needed but try to keep it 30s or less between movements! We understand life gets in the way and schedules can be tough - we are here to help! Let us know how it went! Email info@degreefitnessseaforth.com , or, visit www.degreefitnessseaforth.com/get-started to book your FREE No Sweat Intro to learn more!
Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian You've probably heard of iron and know it's important. Maybe you've even had your levels checked through bloodwork! Iron is an important mineral in our diet. It is part of the blood cells that carry oxygen around our body, and plays roles in growth and the production of some hormones. The amount of iron you need varies. Men need less, while women need more due to blood loss during menstruation. This puts women at higher risk for low iron. The symptoms of low iron include feeling sluggish and fatigued, pale skin, and even hair loss! Women under 50 years old need 18mg of iron a day, while women over 50 and all men only need 8mg of iron daily. Many people can get enough iron through a varied and balanced diet. Iron is found in meat, poultry, fish, legumes, eggs, soy, and many grains and vegetables. Our bodies are better able to absorb iron from animal sources - this type of iron is referred to as "heme iron". Non-heme iron is found in plant sources and is harder for your body to absorb. If you rely on plant-based sources of iron, you may need to eat a lot more of it. Pairing iron sources with sources of vitamin C can also help increase absorption. If you suspect your iron levels are low, ask your doctor to check your levels through a blood test. If your iron level is low and you're already consuming enough through diet, you may need a supplement to increase your levels. Always check if you actually need an iron supplement before starting one! Iron plays some key roles in our bodies, and is important for overall health! Make sure you include a variety of sources daily to meet your body's needs! 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!