How many times can you get up and down out of a chair?

I have asked this many times at work over the years and again this week when testing patients for the osteoarthritis group, GLA:D. It is a supervised exercise and education class to help reduce pain and improve quality of life in people with hip and/or knee osteoarthritis.

This week I have also been put to the task to share my knowledge and expertise on specific measurements of physical fitness. This consultation role is for a local non-profit science organization. I can't tell you what it is yet but it is slated to launch this June if COVID19 allows. Stay tuned!

All this work on assessment got me to thinking specifically about the value and ease of testing the 30 second sit to stand test at home. Although designed for older adults, I see more and more younger people who benefit from using this tool to assess their leg strength.

The normative (comparison) tables typically show males and females starting at age 60 but as this standardize test becomes more prevalent, values for younger populations will soon to follow.

So I task you this week to take an objective view of your leg strength and test yourself doing the sit to stand test.

What do your results tell you? The sit to stand test is a measurement of leg strength. Do you need to work more on your leg strength?
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Reply to this email and let me know how you do! I'm here to support you in your physical activity journey!

Stay well and happy moving,
Lisa

How has January been treating you?

Years back I made the conscious decision to find winter activities I enjoy so that the cold, dark days wouldn't feel so long.

I've embarked on a new winter activity this year that has physically and mentally pushed me.

It is cross-country skiing!

Having only done it less than a handful of times before, cross country skiing has been an enlightening experience. So much so that recently I made a video about it for The Why I Move Project YouTube channel.

Click below for your viewing pleasure!

After watching the video, how can you flip your script and become a more courageous physically active person?

Reply to this email and let me know what ACTION you can take to move fear into courage.

Stay well and happy moving,
Lisa

Disruptions? Competing demands?

How often do we have weeks (heck, even months) of disruptions to our physical activity?

Various things may change our schedules and cause a little bit of chaos in our lives. Everyone is in a separate phase of life so competing demands can look different. Some examples may include illness or injury (you or someone you care for), job/volunteer responsibilities, expected or unexpected visitors and/or vacations or travel (okay these last two are probably not happening right now but think back to a time when this was possible). 


This happens ALL. THE. TIME.


 
The saying that the one thing we can count on is taxes and CHANGE is so true!

This week my household looked different. Both kids have been attending in person school until this week and have now been set-up for a week of online school. Now don't get me wrong, I'm so unbelievably grateful for every single thing teachers have done over the past year but this home school thing is an example of disruption in my world.

The whole family is working from home and balancing schedules of school, work and play.

And with schedule changes and the resulting trickle down effect, major  adjustments are needed in everyone's lives. Read: Mrs. Workman Junior (my mom and grandma were both the real Mrs. Workman in real life elementary schools!) had to reappear after a 6 month hiatus. My entire exercise routine had to be revamped, modified and completely changed to accommodate this week.

When disruptions occur how quickly are we able to adapt? So many factors are at play that we could easily explore this for days. 

Yet, I bring this to you today as a reminder that this is going to happen. Life has other plans. It is more important to have these five steps to help you get through it. Let me be your example.


#1. Awareness

The essential step of this all. We become aware that change is going to happen and being prepared to deal with it.

Sunday January 3: "The kids are at home doing school remotely this week. I will need to change my exercise plan to accommodate their school work, online classroom times and the increased work of Mrs. Workman Junior."


#2. Boundaries (with self and others)

Letting the people involved know your plan and priority of moving your body will keep this running (no pun intended) smoothly.

Monday January 4: "Hey everyone! I will be leaving the house at 4:30 pm today to get in some exercise. Please be prepared that whatever is not done for schoolwork will have to wait until I get back."


#3. Expectations (with self and others)

This can be a hard one both for self and with others. Expectations might need to be modified simply because the disruption might not let me do the things I want to, for the durations I want to or as often as I would like. The expectation with others is relaying the value of movement for you and how it is important that it still occurs even if there are competing demands. 

Tuesday January 5: "Today is normally my day to head out for a cross country ski but based on how things are going, this isn't going to work. I guess I can save that for the weekend when I have more time."


#4. Ulysses Pact (learn more about anticipatory planning or my slightly different tool of Back Pocket Plans) 

Ulysses Pact is a contract you make with yourself for future behaviours such that you set yourself up for alternatives that will still allow you to be successful. In my example below, I've set-up multiple places in my home where I can exercise.

Thursday January 7: "I'd like to get my resistance training session in today but Liam is doing his online classroom in the space I normally do these types of workouts (I really don't need to be caught on camera working out in his Grade 3 class!) so I'll swap it with a home yoga practice instead in another spot in the house."


#5. Letting it go

Being okay with it not looking exactly the same is essential. Like many things in life, we have to be okay with good enough.

Friday January 8: "This has been an exhausting week. The sun is shining over the lunch hour and I'm going to take a 15 minute walk to revitalize myself. That is good enough." 

Pssst - this wasn't my decision, I was heavily encouraged to do this walk by my husband! I need help with motivation at times too.


During this past week, I had to run through these five steps many times with the sole intention to try my *best* with getting to physical activity and exercise. Now, will next week look different. Absolutely! The kids are back in physical school and my modifications will not have to be so direct. Yet, when change occurs again (and it will), I will have practiced these skills already and will hopefully be able to adapt to a changed schedule again.





With all this being said, you may be flabbergasted to the extent that I have worked through this. I've had to do this for years (I'm not boasting) as a student, athlete, mother and a busy human being! Although you may have not put this much thought into this (it is also my job!), this is where planning really shows up to allow for success. 

The ASSESS Free mini course is only one step of planning that can also contribute to your overall physical activity efforts. Being physically active is a constant reorganization and planning affair!  If you haven't signed up yet, no problem. There's no time like the present!



Stay well and happy moving, 
Lisa

A quick email to wish you a Happy New Year!

I’m taking it ALL in!

I hope you found your gift from me under your Christmas tree! If not, ASSESS mini course is still available and went live to the rest of the world yesterday!

It is a FREE online course to jump start your physical activity this year. We all need a little hop in our step or a push on the zip line swing (yep, that’s me in the gif!).

I am here to support you in your physical activity journey.

So, click here to get into the course! And feel free to share it with anyone else you know that needs a jump start to their physical activity this year!

And, for those of you already in the course, hit reply to this email and let me know how it went for you!

Stay well and happy moving,
Lisa