Nutrition Tip with Lindsay Mustard, CNP

I hear it time and time again, "healthy eating is too expensive, I don't have the time, I don't know what to buy.." We sound like broken records in between our mouthfuls of chips and burgers that we're eating.  Eating healthy doesn't have to be hard, we choose to make it hard! ​ When I go to a clients house to teach them how to meal prep, they're blown away by what we can get done in a measly 60 minutes. Set aside some time for yourself every week and dedicate it to being your food prep time for the week.

Follow the grocery shopping guide below to know what to spend the bulk of your money on and what your food priorities should be. 

1. Buy fresh fruits and vegetables over frozen (except frozen fruit for smoothies!). ​2. Shop the perimeter of the grocery aisle. You'll notice that all of the commonly bought items such as milk, eggs and meat are all on the perimeter, that's because grocery stores want to expose you to as many products as possible as you shop. 3. Stay out of the danger zones. The only middle aisles you should be going down is the spice, condiment and healthy snack food aisles. The rest of the items offered are essentially filler foods with no nutritional value and a shelf life longer than your lifespan.   4. Shop with a list and stick to it. Write down the exact quantities of food that you need for the week and don't get distracted by what's on sale or food items you get bonus points for buying.

COACHES TIPS

Tip 1 - Get back to basics ​An injury is an opportunity for growth. Work on whatever strict movements you can. Build up that strength. If your back is the issue, focus on core and clean up foundational movements and technique. You'll come back stronger as a result. ​- Coach Evelyn

Tip 2 - Keep moving and listen to your body

You should get very comfortable with changing the workout of the day in some part (if not entirely) on a day-to-day basis as there is nothing wrong with that. My recommendation would be to come to the coach with suggestions that you have identified as things you want to work on, this will help :) They will fill in the gaps and ensure you are getting as close to the desired stimulus as possible. Keep your head up, get excited about your new areas of focus and celebrate your progress and new PRs while you heal up. - Coach Mark

Tip 3 - Focus on the progress

Focus all your attention on the other areas of training (including nutrition and sleep and mobility) as well as other movements that don't cause pain. Feeling good about progress in other areas can help distract from the negative focus on what feels lost at the time. Having a strong mental game in this situation can make a significant difference on the journey to recovery.  - Coach Jayme

Tip 4 - Identify any imbalances

We hope you find these tips helpful, and as always we are here to help in any way we can. Our Coaches are always open to working with you to ensure you have the safest, most efficient, and fun workout possible. If you have any questions or concerns regarding an injury or setback, please do not hesitate to speak with one of our coaches.  Happy Training!

A salad is not complete without protein

​I recently visited my Aunt in Toronto where we made the most delicious salad I have had to date. We used a base of romaine lettuce and added yellow bell pepper, carrot, broccoli, green onions and pistachios for a crunch, olives and sundried tomatoes to bring a bit of saltiness to the dish and topped it all off with a healthy caesar dressing made from lemon juice and olive oil.  ​It was hands down the tastiest salad I have ever had, but I wasn't satisfied. Why? Because there was no protein! When I asked her what we should add to it for protein source she suggested feta cheese - although that would've taken the salad to the next level, it wasn't exactly what I had in mind.