Carol & Dave’s excellent Leaside adventure continues

Carol and Dave BeforeOne month of winter down and two to go! How have you been keeping up with your New Year’s goals? I’m going to brag for a quick second and say that I have been doing great in my goal to drink more water and stretch daily, but more importantly so have Carol and Dave. While it’s only been a few short weeks since they started into their new health and wellness program with Barry Samuel at Inside Out Studio, I’m pleased to say that Carol is feeling “positive” and David is “still alive and feeling good.” Can I get a collective ‘yippee’ from all over Leaside please?

Carol and Dave started the month at Inside Out Studio with a conversation about lifestyle, their moods, energy level and current habits and behaviours. They also had some baseline measurements taken, including height, weight, measurements and body mass before starting their fitness program. While both were feeling quite brave, there were some feelings of anxiety, so Barry took the time to commend them for coming forward and documenting their anticipated lifestyle changes. Both are working out three times a week for about 45 minutes each session. They are combining cardio and strength training exercises, focusing specifically on core and balance while learning about injury prevention. Carol and David both have weak areas that Barry has addressed and is working on strengthening.

I love how positive both Carol and David were when I spoke with them.

CAROL TOWNSLEY

Carol had already attended six workout sessions at Inside Out Studio at time of printing. Because of her flexible schedule, she is able to go on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings after the kids have headed to school. Having a personal trainer has been key in keeping up her motivation. She likes that “someone is expecting” her to show up.

Carol has yo-yoed with her weight in the past and is looking for a long-term solution as opposed to a quick fix. She wants to improve her skiing, so she can “keep up with her boys on the double black diamonds.” Barry is aware that Carol has had some lower back issues in the past, so strength, balance and core are important. Carol’s workout is broken down as follows: 10-minute warmup, 40 minutes of mixed strength cardio and core training with stretching in between, and then 10 minutes on the treadmill to cool down. It’s a quick but intense workout, providing the muscles with the best possible reaction time.

DAVID SPARROW

David was three workouts in at time of printing, and while Barry encouraged him to hit the gym at 6:45 a.m., he likes to spend “quality time” with his wife Lisa in the morning. Dave’s morning routine, which is essential to a positive mindset, includes coffee, catching up with his wife and even giving her a drive to work. He’s hitting Inside Out Studio at 10am, also three times a week. As with Carol, Barry is focusing on the core. David’s preexisting injuries include a torn meniscus in the knee and “frozen shoulder.” A good warm-up of walking 20 minutes on the treadmill ensures David is ready for his stretch and strength workout, which includes working on the exercise ball and bosu. During his first workout, David completed one push-up. By Day Three, he’d completed four pushups! Way to go!

David and his wife have also introduced staying active into their life in small ways. While watching TV, they have incorporated ‘one-minute planking challenges’ as well as crunches. They hope to join Monday Night badminton at Leaside United Church as well.

Next month I’ll talk to our dynamic duo about nutrition and how their diets have had to change along with their lifestyle. .

About Vicki Hall 16 Articles
Vicki is a Toronto native and resident of Leaside for the past 15 years. Many of those years were spent as a proud volunteer with Rolph Road and Bessborough schools. In 2015 Vicki founded the Lifestyle Blog 'Vickihall.ca' where she covers fashion, beauty, lifestyle and advice for women. You can often find her strolling our beautiful streets with her beloved Portuguese Water Dog Shadow.