January 2011

Welcome to the January Vintage Fitness Newsletter full of information about health and wellness for people over 50.  This month gives you tips from a role model who achieved her resolution after 20 years of trying!

Cathy Kelly knew that she needed to make some changes when the scale hit 200 lbs. She was  afraid of failing because she tried to lose the weight for over 20 years. Her daughter, Kelly, knew her struggle and suggested a Vintage Fitness gift certificate as a Christmas gift last year.   Cathy remembers balking at the idea because she was embarrassed to own up to where she was. “I decided I would give it a try but really didn’t think I would make it.  I felt the struggle when even walking on the treadmill was so challenging but couldn’t disappoint Kelly or tell my trainer I didn’t think I could do it. After a few weeks I realized going to my condo gym, not having to get in my car or be with other people—surrounded by fit bodies, that I could try this seriously for a while. Things started to happen and change rather quickly and I felt differently mentally and physically”

Cathy is now buying clothes five sizes smaller, her blood pressure is down and everywhere she goes people tell her how great she looks. In the last couple weeks she bought her first pair of jeans ever.

What tips do Cathy and her trainer have for you?

1.  Become truly ready to change:   admit to yourself why you are in this place and know that you can’t do this for anyone else, just you.

2. Mindful treats:  Treat yourself but always ask if it is worth it.  “At one point in my life, I would just eat, now I evaluate my decisions and sometimes it is worth it!” says Cathy

3. Be accountable: keep a food diary and show it to your trainer or a buddy as well as logging all of your exercise

4. Build a support team:  We all like to think that we can make big changes in our lives on our own but it is really tough.  Your friends and family need to commit to change their behaviour to support you.  If they are not willing, hire a professional: life coach, personal trainer, nutritionist depending on your goals.

5. Go beyond the scale: The number on the scale should be only one of a range of metrics to help you measure your progress.  Waist girth, blood pressure and resting heart rate are other easy measurements to track.

6. Include strength training:  One of the most common mistakes that people make with planning their exercise schedule is leaving out strength training.  No matter what your age or health goals you should be using weights or exercise bands or just your own body weight to build strength and lean tissue two-four times a week.

The reason that so many people give up on their health resolutions is because they don’t have a proper plan that they truly believe will work that they stay accountable to.  Make this your year to succeed!

to purchase a strength and balance DVD, read tons of health tips or view the monthly class schedule

Energize your life,

Erin Billowits
Vintage Fitness

416-951-7978 

www.vintagefitness.ca

December 2010

Welcome to the December Vintage Fitness Newsletter full of information about health and wellness for people over 50.  This teaches you the best way to stay trim and healthly over the holidays and gives you a great gift idea for the snowbird in your family.

1. More Fibre: Eat a bowl of high fibre cereal half of an hour before the party

2. Just start: On days when you lack motivation or truly do not have time to do your full exercise routine just do 10 minutes

3. Make resolutions early: Write you new years resolutions now and put them on your fridge as a reminder what you are aiming for in the new year

4. Know what is important: Remind yourself that it is time with friends and family that is the treat, not that third shortbread

5. Go for maintenance: Recognize that weight loss will be difficult during the festive season and develop a weight neutral goal

6. Be mindful: Stay aware of what you are eating and how much, it is so easy to lose yourself in the season and purposefully ignore those niggling doubts that keep popping up

7. Do it with a friend: Recruit your partner or friend to help you stay healthy over the holidays with a clear goal such as no alcohol from Sunday-Wednesday night.

8. You are not being a Scrooge:Tell yourself that staying committed to your healthy lifestyle  is not about you not being able to let loose and relax over the holidays,  you know that you will feel better, live longer and not sabotage all of your hard work in the gym

9. Write it down: Jot down your planned exercise sessions into your calander at the beginning of every week

10. The extra weight does not go away: People gain on average 1  pound over the holidays which doesn’t seem like much yet a study done by the National Institute of Health shows that the majority of the group were a pound and a half heavier the following year.

Weight Gain Research Study

Visit our website www.vintagefitness

to purchase a strength and balance DVD, read tons of health tips or view the monthly class schedule  

Energize your life,

Erin Billowits
Vintage Fitness

416-951-7978 

www.vintagefitness.ca

Welcome to the January Vintage Fitness Newsletter full of information about health and wellness for people over 50.  This month gives you tips from a role model who achieved her resolution after 20 years of trying!

Cathy Kelly knew that she needed to make some changes when the scale hit 200 lbs. She was  afraid of failing because she tried to lose the weight for over 20 years. Her daughter, Kelly, knew her struggle and suggested a Vintage Fitness gift certificate as a Christmas gift last year.   Cathy remembers balking at the idea because she was embarrassed to own up to where she was. “I decided I would give it a try but really didn’t think I would make it.  I felt the struggle when even walking on the treadmill was so challenging but couldn’t disappoint Kelly or tell my trainer I didn’t think I could do it. After a few weeks I realized going to my condo gym, not having to get in my car or be with other people—surrounded by fit bodies, that I could try this seriously for a while. Things started to happen and change rather quickly and I felt differently mentally and physically”

Cathy is now buying clothes five sizes smaller, her blood pressure is down and everywhere she goes people tell her how great she looks. In the last couple weeks she bought her first pair of jeans ever.

What tips do Cathy and her trainer have for you?

1.  Become truly ready to change:   admit to yourself why you are in this place and know that you can’t do this for anyone else, just you.

2. Mindful treats:  Treat yourself but always ask if it is worth it.  “At one point in my life, I would just eat, now I evaluate my decisions and sometimes it is worth it!” says Cathy

3. Be accountable: keep a food diary and show it to your trainer or a buddy as well as logging all of your exercise

4. Build a support team:  We all like to think that we can make big changes in our lives on our own but it is really tough.  Your friends and family need to commit to change their behaviour to support you.  If they are not willing, hire a professional: life coach, personal trainer, nutritionist depending on your goals.

5. Go beyond the scale: The number on the scale should be only one of a range of metrics to help you measure your progress.  Waist girth, blood pressure and resting heart rate are other easy measurements to track.

6. Include strength training:  One of the most common mistakes that people make with planning their exercise schedule is leaving out strength training.  No matter what your age or health goals you should be using weights or exercise bands or just your own body weight to build strength and lean tissue two-four times a week.

The reason that so many people give up on their health resolutions is because they don’t have a proper plan that they truly believe will work that they stay accountable to.  Make this your year to succeed!

to purchase a strength and balance DVD, read tons of health tips or view the monthly class schedule

Energize your life,

Erin Billowits
Vintage Fitness

416-951-7978

www.vintagefitness.ca

Welcome to the December Vintage Fitness Newsletter full of information about health and wellness for people over 50.  This teaches you the best way to stay trim and healthly over the holidays and gives you a great gift idea for the snowbird in your family.

1. More Fibre: Eat a bowl of high fibre cereal half of an hour before the party

2. Just start: On days when you lack motivation or truly do not have time to do your full exercise routine just do 10 minutes

3. Make resolutions early: Write you new years resolutions now and put them on your fridge as a reminder what you are aiming for in the new year

4. Know what is important: Remind yourself that it is time with friends and family that is the treat, not that third shortbread

5. Go for maintenance: Recognize that weight loss will be difficult during the festive season and develop a weight neutral goal

6. Be mindful: Stay aware of what you are eating and how much, it is so easy to lose yourself in the season and purposefully ignore those niggling doubts that keep popping up

7. Do it with a friend: Recruit your partner or friend to help you stay healthy over the holidays with a clear goal such as no alcohol from Sunday-Wednesday night.

8. You are not being a Scrooge:Tell yourself that staying committed to your healthy lifestyle  is not about you not being able to let loose and relax over the holidays,  you know that you will feel better, live longer and not sabotage all of your hard work in the gym

9. Write it down: Jot down your planned exercise sessions into your calander at the beginning of every week

10. The extra weight does not go away: People gain on average 1  pound over the holidays which doesn’t seem like much yet a study done by the National Institute of Health shows that the majority of the group were a pound and a half heavier the following year.

Weight Gain Research Study

Visit our website www.vintagefitness

to purchase a strength and balance DVD, read tons of health tips or view the monthly class schedule

Energize your life,

Erin Billowits
Vintage Fitness

416-951-7978

www.vintagefitness.ca

Welcome to the November Vintage Fitness Newsletter full of information about health and wellness for people over 50.  This month helps you avoid winter colds and keeps you motivated to stay active!

On average we catch between 100 and 200 colds in our lifetime.  Children get about eight infections a year, three more than adults.

A study out of the University of Wisconsin in the 1980′s,  persuaded uninfected volunteers to kiss people with heavy colds and share dorms with them overnight. Only about 8% came down with colds.  We often catch colds from touching infected things such as door handles and then touching our noses and eyes.

Here are the best ways to avoid a cold this winter:

1. Go to the gym: Staying active nearly halves the odds of catching a cold (British Journal of Sports Medicine).

2. Wash your hands: If you can’t help touching your eyes and nose than make sure they are clean!

3. Be positive: A study by Carnegie Mellon University in 2006, showed that volunteers with a positive outlook were better able to fight off cold viruses than people who were anxious, hostile or depressed.

4. Get some sunshine: People with high levels of vitamin D have significantly fewer cases of cold than those with low levels.

5. Avoid stress: More stress equals more colds especially amongst men. (Occupational Medicine)

Visit our website www.vintagefitness

to purchase a strength and balance DVD, read tons of health tips or view the monthly class schedule

Energize your life,

Erin Billowits
Vintage Fitness

416-951-7978

www.vintagefitness.ca

Welcome to the January Vintage Fitness Newsletter full of information about health and wellness for people over 50.  This month gives you tips from a role model who achieved her resolution after 20 years of trying!

Cathy Kelly knew that she needed to make some changes when the scale hit 200 lbs. She was  afraid of failing because she tried to lose the weight for over 20 years. Her daughter, Kelly, knew her struggle and suggested a Vintage Fitness gift certificate as a Christmas gift last year.   Cathy remembers balking at the idea because she was embarrassed to own up to where she was. “I decided I would give it a try but really didn’t think I would make it.  I felt the struggle when even walking on the treadmill was so challenging but couldn’t disappoint Kelly or tell my trainer I didn’t think I could do it. After a few weeks I realized going to my condo gym, not having to get in my car or be with other people—surrounded by fit bodies, that I could try this seriously for a while. Things started to happen and change rather quickly and I felt differently mentally and physically”

Cathy is now buying clothes five sizes smaller, her blood pressure is down and everywhere she goes people tell her how great she looks. In the last couple weeks she bought her first pair of jeans ever.

What tips do Cathy and her trainer have for you?

1.  Become truly ready to change:   admit to yourself why you are in this place and know that you can’t do this for anyone else, just you.

2. Mindful treats:  Treat yourself but always ask if it is worth it.  “At one point in my life, I would just eat, now I evaluate my decisions and sometimes it is worth it!” says Cathy

3. Be accountable: keep a food diary and show it to your trainer or a buddy as well as logging all of your exercise

4. Build a support team:  We all like to think that we can make big changes in our lives on our own but it is really tough.  Your friends and family need to commit to change their behaviour to support you.  If they are not willing, hire a professional: life coach, personal trainer, nutritionist depending on your goals.

5. Go beyond the scale: The number on the scale should be only one of a range of metrics to help you measure your progress.  Waist girth, blood pressure and resting heart rate are other easy measurements to track.

6. Include strength training:  One of the most common mistakes that people make with planning their exercise schedule is leaving out strength training.  No matter what your age or health goals you should be using weights or exercise bands or just your own body weight to build strength and lean tissue two-four times a week.

The reason that so many people give up on their health resolutions is because they don’t have a proper plan that they truly believe will work that they stay accountable to.  Make this your year to succeed!

to purchase a strength and balance DVD, read tons of health tips or view the monthly class schedule

Energize your life,

Erin Billowits
Vintage Fitness

416-951-7978

www.vintagefitness.ca