The Best Way to Get a Good Night’s Sleep

good night sleep

Do you have a bedtime routine? Something that relaxes you before hitting your head to the pillow? Our lives are so busy and full that we are often rushing around without taking much time to pause and relax. Too much stress can increase cortisol levels, which can lead to more fat being stored in your […]

4 Life Lessons from My Week of Retirement

I spent a week being retired and I loved it! To get away from the cold, dreary winter I spent a week living with relatives in their retirement community in Florida. These guys are busy and aren’t your stereotypical “old people”. In fact, I was the only one knitting! Although I was living in a […]

Set and Forget Slow Cooker Chili {recipe}

slow cooker chili

Autumn is upon us after what ended up being a lovely and warm September (at least in Ottawa). I’m a summer gal, but I know many love the coziness of this season, curling up in warm sweaters under a blanket eating comfort food. One thing I do love about this time of year is the […]

Demystifying the Personal Training Experience

coaching a personal training client

Personal training can seem daunting if you’ve never done it before. Many people assume it’s like on TV where the trainer is yelling at the client and making them do things they don’t want. While there are some “drill sergeant” style trainers, it’s generally not like that (and not with me). My Approach My approach […]

The One Way to Stop Feeling Unhappy about Your Body

you versus you

Have you ever found yourself comparing your body and progress to someone else’s? I sure have! (Yes, I’m in good shape, but that doesn’t mean I’m immune to having comparing thoughts) A lot of social media these days is full of almost naked women and men showing off their amazing bodies. It can sometimes be overwhelming […]

Are You Addicted to Being Busy?

how to exercise and eat healthy when busy

Busy-ness. It’s become like a badge of honor or (oddly) something people boast about. The almost default answer to “How are you?” seems to be a variation of “I’m really busy”. At times a conversation turns into a contest about who is the most busy. Often said in a humble-brag kind of way. Sometimes I […]

How to Actually Achieve Your Health Goals

reach your goals

Hopefully you’ve made some goals for improving your health this year. (If not, there’s still time to set a few). It can be a challenge to achieve what we’ve set out out to do, but there’s a way to make it easier on yourself. I believe the best way to actually achieve your goals is […]

Giving Thanks

Giving thanks

American Thanksgiving is coming up and there’s an online thing going around where you set a timer for 10 minutes and write what you are thankful for – as many as you can within the time limit. The idea is that you have so much to be thankful for you’ll run out of time. It’s easy […]

Stop Blaming Your Genes for Not Fitting in Your Jeans

You know what phrase I really don’t like to hear? “It’s not my fault I’m fat/overweight… it’s genetic!” Yes, I will concede genetics play a small role in your overall health, however, may people use it as an excuse for not taking proper care of their bodies. In fact, lifestyle accounts for 53% of the […]