#DadBlog: Tracking Physical Progress

By: Mike Caterini “Mike! Get out of bed and hit the road. The snow’s starting. You better start running soon!” Is this a bad dream, or did I just hear encouraging shouts emanating from my wife, Judy, downstairs? It’s 7:30 am and she is about to leave for her boot camp workout. I peered outside

Smaller Waistline and Bigger Brain

#DadBlog: Fitness Testing

“Keep it up! Looking good! You can do it.  Just a few minutes to go”.  Words of encouragement from fit 20 year olds to a slightly overweight,  shirtless,  middle-aged man running up a 15 degree incline at 5 mph, drenched in sweat and cursing the moment when he signed up to be one of 200

Reward Yourself: Post-Workout Vanilla Blueberry Smoothie

Author: Amanda Carney As a health coach, I am constantly receiving questions about what to eat after a workout.  People want to know what the best food combination is, how soon after a workout they should eat, and what the serving size should look like.  And although there are many different perspectives on this, in

Brain Growth with Exercise

Carpe Diem, The Series: Cycle Through the Seasons

Author: Paul Stevens As mentioned last week, I was to start playing a second ‘hockey game of the week’ with another group on Monday evenings. I went to the game and had a boatload of fun. It was a diverse group age-wise as some of the guys were greybeards like me along with a strong

Brain Function

Fitness Helps Brain Function As We Age

Julia Basso , PhD Affiliation: Post-doctoral Research Associate, New York University, Center for Neural Science For the past 40 years, the world’s leading experts on learning and memory have gathered in Park City, Utah to discuss the newest and most exciting research on brain function: the brain’s ability to learn and remember information.  I recently

Carpe Diem, The Series: Winter Sports for the Adventurous

Author: Paul Stevens Winter in the Great White North (a.k.a. Canada) can be a long and dreary time if you sit back and wait for spring to arrive.  Aside from chilling temperatures, this part of the country (Southern Ontario) can go  days or even weeks where the sun can be very shy to show its

Three Health Chia Seed Pudding Recipes For You and Your Family

By: Amanda Carney When you think of pudding, chances are you imagine a decadent sugar-laden dessert that should be enjoyed sparingly. Now imagine a delicious and flavorful pudding that can actually increase your health and is simple to make – Yes, it is possible, and we have the perfect recipes for you! Chia seed pudding

It’s Never Too Late: The Benefits of High Intensity Exercise for Dementia

Contributed by Fiona Callender, Research Assistant, University of Toronto We are all connected to someone who suffers from one form of dementia or another – whether it is directly or through caregivers, friends or relatives. With incidence rising, and Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia now being the leading cause of disability and death in

Carpe Diem, The Series: Brain Activities When Winter’s Too Cold

Author: Paul Stevens Carpe Diem (but in a relaxed sort of way) I’m on the verge of excitement today.  This evening, I’ll be participating with another group of hockey-player-wannabes for what I hope will become my second weekly game.  Playing twice a week has a significant systemic and cascading effect; it means once less day

Be Presidential: 10,000 Steps Per Day

The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition (PCFSN) recently launched a program –Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA+) – to encourage Americans of all ages to combat obesity and lead healthier lifestyles. Adults can win the PALA+ if physically active for at least 30 minutes per day (or 8,500 steps on a pedometer), five days

Carpe Diem, The Series: Man’s Best Friend and Core Strength

By: Paul Stevens We’re definitely into the shoulder or ‘tweener’ season weather-wise. It’s not quite spring and not quite winter as the cold and snow still wants to hang around, hence the ‘tweener’ designation. Despite what has been a very mild winter to date, we just received a healthy dump of snow with about 20