Introduction

Happy August everyone! I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful summer weather and prioritizing some R&R. So far, my summer has been wonderful. It started out with a next-to-perfect 1/2 Ironman in Mont Tremblant - great conditions, great friends and, most importantly, I managed to race with a positive attitude. Take a look at my recent blog post on the subject.

Also, on June 26th I filmed a series of Pilates-based "Fitness Basic" exercise videos for the Globe and Mail. In the first video I explain the basics of Pilates breathing. Use this first video to help you complete the remaining ten videos with perfect form. So far the three videos that have been posted are:

• The Hundreds;
• The Single Leg Stretch; and
• The Double Leg Stretch

The Obesity Myth

By: Dr. Jennifer Baer, RHN, ND

What do you think an obese person looks like? Do you imagine a 300-pound woman struggling down the grocery store aisle, or a 400-pound man at the drive-through window? If you do, you’re not alone. But you are wrong.

The definition of obesity was established by the WHO, and is based on BMI (Body Mass Index), a measure of your weight relative to your height. A value of 25 indicates overweight, 30 or greater obesity. And so it is, that a visually average, slightly plump woman of 5’4” is actually medically obese at 176 lbs.

Why is this important? There have been many criticisms of the BMI as an assessment tool – it’s not a perfect measure. For those with a lot of muscles mass or who are tall, it may overestimate obesity. However, for those shorter in stature, it may underestimate it! Regardless of its specificity or sensitivity, the BMI is important because of its use in all those studies correlating disease with obesity – think: cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes.

I always want my patients to start shifting their focus from an aesthetic goal, to a health and prevention one. For those who are obese, or overweight with 2 or more risk factors (see my website for a list and link to BMI calculator), even a small weight loss of 5-10% of your body weight significantly lowers your risk for obesity-related diseases.

Obesity is a complex, multi-factorial condition. While individual dietary and lifestyle choices are obvious culprits, consider just a few studied factors shown to contribute:

• Gender & economic inequality: poverty and being female
• Trans-fats, alcohol & sugar alter biochemistry: favouring fat storage over expenditure
• Food science: designer “foods” trigger your “bliss point” signaling your brain to eat MORE
• Chemical exposure: fivefold incidence of obesity with highest levels of urinary BPA
• Light & temperature: exposure to air-conditioning and artificial lighting alters thermodynamics and sleep cycles – impacting the cascade of hormones which control our metabolism
• Stress: alters the production of cortisol, contributing to abdominal obesity and insulin resistance

Exercise of the Month

Stomach Stretch

The stomach stretch is a classic Pilates exercise. The key to any Pilates exercise is to be mindful of your movements, don't just "go through the motions".

To start, lie on your stomach with your arms and legs extended, toes pointed. Rest your forehead on a small towel so that your head stays in line with your spine.

Start by trying to engage your pelvic floor and low abdominal muscles by feeling like you are trying to gently put on a tight pair of pants. Next, image you are trying to place a piece of paper between your abdominals and the mat so that your back stays elongated. Engage your bum slightly.

To do the exercise exhale and lift your opposite arm and leg off of the ground. Image someone is pulling your arm and leg out of their sockets slightly so your body stays long. Inhale to lower your limbs, then repeat on the opposite side for a total of twelve repetitions.