The Necessity of Sleeping

    Sleep is so important and yet so overlooked. Many people struggle to find 
the sufficient hours of sleep needed to live active, healthy, balanced 
lifestyles. I must admit, it may often be one of the hardest things to do. 
Each day we are pulled in different directions with our jobs, daily 
activities, families and friends. I am sure you all have things which occupy 
most of your time not only during the day but well into the evening. 
Sometimes you may find yourself saying, "I need to stop what I am doing and 
go to bed!". You are not alone in saying that. Millions of people say 
something similar every single evening.
    

    Now, how do we get more sleep? Well, it comes down to how efficient you are 
in the run of your day. If you are a procrastinator who puts off everything 
until the last minute you should rethink the way you tackle your daily 
agendas. Spending more time throughout the day getting things done can often 
free up more rest time at night. Another way to get more sleep is to shut 
everything off. By everything, I mean electronic items like your iPhones, 
blackberry phones and computers. How many of you have stayed up a few extra 
minutes waiting for a text or email when you could be resting? Worry about 
your emails in the morning. Turn off your electronics and get more 
sleep.Have everything prepared for the morning before you head to bed. 
Prepare your gym bag, pack your kids lunches, take your garbage out, etc.. 
There are many chores that we put off until the morning which we could have 
done the evening before. This allows more time to sleep in during the morning hours.
    

    There are many other ways you can change your schedules to allow for more 
sleep. Keep trying new things within your routines to give you more time to 
be recharged and well. Sleep is just as important as your training schedule 
and your nutrition intake. The three combined can become an awesome recipe 
for health and wellness. However, if you are lacking in any one of the three 
of these components you are at risk of compromising your overall health and 
wellness. 

Ryan Fahey 

B.A Human Kinetics

CPTN Canada

Canfitpro FIS, PTS

NCCP

Starbucks...More Than Meets The Eye

    For all of you who know about the American owned coffee chain, Starbucks, 
you are in for a treat. Starbucks is a Seattle based company who offers 
coffee, sweets, sandwiches and other tasty treats all over the World. I mean 
hey, who doesn't like speciality teas, coffees and personalized shakes or 
smoothies from a high end coffee shop!
  

    While spending time at the East Hampton Starbucks on Long Island, I began to 
look at the nutrition information brochure provided for all customers to 
see. Similar to their Canadian counterpart, Tim Horton's, not much was 
different. Many of their acclaimed 'breads' were packed with sodium, sugar, 
calories and carbs. However, let me highlight for you the two items which 
contained the most carbohydrates and the most calories.

 

1) Banana Walnut Bread: This item contained 490 calories per slice with 170 
of those calories from fat. It also has 75 grams of carbohydrates per slice 
and 46 grams of sugar (more than a can of Pepsi). 

 2) Reduced fat Banana Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake: 400 cal, 510 grams of 
sodium, 80 grams of carbs and 50 grams of sugar! WWWWHHHAAATTTT!

    That's right! Do not let the reduced fat fool you. Most people automatically 
assume that just because a label says 'low fat' that it must be a better 
choice for indulgence. In reality, you now know that there are exceptions to 
the rule as in our Starbucks example.
   

    Now, if you are looking for something decent to have at Starbucks that will 
not put you in a star coma or stretch you waistline I would either keep on 
walking to another place or I would get the Greek Yogurt & Honey Parfait. It 
contains only 300 cal and is packed with good amounts of protein per 
serving. Protein tends to take longer to digest if it is not mixed with a 
medium such as water so you will be fuller for longer with this option.
  

   Overall, I am really not surprised here. It is the same song and dance being 
played at a different location, with a different name. I encourage you all 
to check out the nutrition labels and ask for a brochure packet next time 
you go in to a Starbucks or any other place for that matter. Finally, be 
aware of the mixed lattes and speciality drinks as well as they are often 
filled with sugars and not actually as good for you as you may expect.
   

    Ultimately, you are responsible for what you put into your body. So keep 
educating yourself with nutrition information. 

Ryan Fahey

B.A Human Kinetics

CPTN Canada 

Canfitpro FIS, PTS 

NCCP

The Power Of Music

This is a song I wanted to share with you. It motivates me to get out of bed sometimes (Haha). Sometimes when I am feeling unmotivated about exercising, this song sparks my attitude and gets me going. Tweet and share this video if you are a fan!

Extreme Heat & Exercise

      Ladies and gentlemen, it is a pleasure to write this blog for you. There is 
nothing I love more than the heat. I love warm places, warm houses, etc.. 
However, in New York, the word "heat" is literally taken to a new level. 
Recently, the weather in East Hampton has reached 86 degrees Fahrenheit
(which for those from Nova Scotia is 30 degrees Celsius). 

     Aside from the humidity, this heat has taken a toll on my body. I have 
recently realized that the abrupt change in both humidity and temperature can strain your body. When you increase your body's exterior temperature and 
humidity, your blood automatically rushes to your extremities and your heart 
rate increases in the stress of unusual heat. When you pair this added exertion with your regular exercise routine, you will often find that your body has to adjust to these conditions. This can lead to a slower running pace and consuming more liquids.
 

    Specifically, I have noticed that I consume 1/3 more water each day than I did in Nova Scotia. I have also found that my running pace over 6 km has 
decreased slightly in order for my body not to overheat and possibly faint in the sun. Now, if you find yourself in this type of heat, I have some 
quick tips for you: 

1) Run early in the morning or late at night...(not at the hottest part of 
the day).

2) Stay hydrated 24/7. This includes having water by your bedside. 

3) Watch your sodium intake (as always, but high amounts of sodium can dehydrate you faster than you think). 

4) Finally, keep lots of fresh fruit on hand for quick sugars and alternative 
sources of water before or after your workout.

  

    With these four quick tips in mind, you can run efficiently and effectively 
during heat waves. Whether you are running long distances, working out in your basement or doing yoga on the beach, be safe and keep that body happily 
hydrated. 

Ryan Fahey 

B.A Human Kinetics 

CPTN Canada 

Canfitpro FIS, PTS

NCCP

The Olympic Games

     It's that time again. Time for the greatest stage of human performance. It's 
time for the Olympic games!
    

     Going back through history we have seen the power of the Olympics bring 
together divided nations, settle international rivalries, release those 
individuals whose race had been suppressed, and brought families closer 
together through aesthetic athletic expression. We have all been touched by 
the feelings of Nationalism this world stage provides. Each one of us 
understands the power of both participating and winning at such a 
prestigious level. This summer, as we gather in front of our televisions or 
around our computers, we will surely see the pinnacle of a series of such 
great events.
   

     The Olympic games have evolved from age to age. As we embark on this 
information age we are blessed to be able to follow our athletes on social 
stages such as Twitter, Facebook, or Tumblr. I encourage all of you from 
every corner of the earth to research and learn about your athletes. Then, 
enjoy watching them lead your country. Stand beside them as they represent 
everything your country stands for. Celebrate together and enjoy the 
victories, accomplishments, laughter and the atmosphere that the Olympics 
provides. This summer as the world watches London, take time to relax and 
watch your country. Be inspired to participate further with your own 
physical activities by your athletes' performances.

Ryan Fahey

B.A Human Kinetics

CPTN Canada

Canfitpro FIS, PTS

NCCP

Damien Walters: The Fundamental Movement King

         This guy inspires me to go out there and move. He has trained Daniel Craig  (James Bond) and has led this new type of movement called: "Parkour". I firmly believe that learning is a perceived risk and that this type of movement is a perceived risk as well. Some of his stunts are actual risks but the video segments in the gym are perceived risks. I think kids and youth around the world should implement Damien's attitude which implies that movement and gymnastics can be done anywhere. We do not need fancy air conditioned facilities to move our bodies around and exercise. All we need is ourselves, a first aid course and some creative thinking! Enjoy the Video



Ryan Fahey
B.A Human Kinetics
CPTN Canada
Canfitpro FIS, PTS
NCCP

Dieticians of Nova Scotia

      During our family yard sale last Saturday, I decided to pass out nutrition 
plans, pamphlets and small menu planners for adults and the kids. While my 
family was selling off our items, I was able to generate much conversation 
around these nutrition handouts. From old to young, many asked me where the 
the information came from and what it was about. I found myself diving into 
their personal diets and lifestyles just through conversation. I began to 
discover that this was an awesome idea! As more people need tools and items 
to help them achieve their health and nutrition goals, I realized that this 
was another way to get it into their hands.

   

     Above is a picture of one of the menu planning tools I was given from the Dieticians of NS (Which I have passed along to the Maritime Wrestling Academy). These are essentials tools to carry around and give away to people. You can go online to teachnutrition.org today and register to have up to 100 packets of each item sent to your school, business or community. These as well as other items are 
totally free and can serve as an awesome resource to help kids, youth and 
adults. The plate menu allows you to check YOUR age category to see exactly 
how many servings of each food group you need daily.

  

   There are also awesome recipe booklets.They break down how to make healthier 
summer smoothies and how to add more protein to your breakfast while also 
providing tips to help you make better food choices.I am glad to have paired 
with the Dieticians of NS to provide Nova Scotians young and old with some 
extra information and conversation to help them improve their diets and make 
nutrition more of a priority in their lives! 

 Ryan Fahey

 B.A Human Kinetics 

CPTN Canada

Canfitpro FIS, PTS 

NCCP

Walking Or Running Somewhere Different

     
     Sometimes you just have to try it. Sometimes you just have to get out of your comfort zone by running or walking in a new area. We get so comfortable simply walking out the door and heading down the same route over and over again. Now, first of all, it is awesome that you ARE walking or running. But, there is a lot to be said for just trying somewhere new and different. 
     For example, I have been running in Antigonish for quite some time now and mostly the same 2 or 3 routes. However, now I find myself in the state of New York running down new roads and into new places I have never been before and it is actually pretty awesome. Just running somewhere new allows me to see different scenery,  meet new fitness enthusiasts along the way while allowing your body to adjust to the new terrain, climate and location. 
    Now, I am not saying you need to travel to change your running, but just going left down your driveway instead of right can create the same atmosphere I mentioned above.for example, last summer when my grandmother attended my Health & Wellness camp which was a ten minute drive from her house, she walked a new route with new hills and a new terrain everyday for that week. She challenged herself and her comfort zone and absolutely loved it! Our bodies change, our lives change and our priorities change as we grow up; why should your running routes not change with you? 
     I encourage you all to venture out and walk somewhere new, run in a new park or down a new road. Blaze new trails and push yourself in new ways. Enjoy the journey along the way as much as your results at the end of the day. 

Ryan Fahey
BA Human Kinetics
CPTN Canada
Canfitpro FIS, PTS
NCCP

Gaining Financial Literacy

         One of the greatest things you can do for yourself is to become financially literate.  When we look at our own wellness wheels, we often forget to train ourselves to become more financially secure. Becoming financially secure can allow more time and energy into physical pursuits and preparing good, nutritious food. Now, you're probably asking yourself, "Hold on here Ryan, what are you talking about?" I am talking about a specialized stream of education where you learn about how to manage money, invest money, spend money wisely and most importantly, how to make money wisely. These are some big terms to juggle around in our minds everyday so the question is, where do we start? How can we become financially literate?
        Recently, my brother in law (who so happens to be a chartered accountant) introduced me to a series of  the "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" book series. I read one book titled, "Sales Dogs" and the latest one titled, "The 8 New Rules Of Money", which basically outlines everything you need to know to prepare yourself for your future in terms of basic financial literacy. In this book, the author emphasizes that we need more financial education growing up. We need to be taught in schools not only how to pay our bills, add on GST and HST, be able to multiply and divide correctly, etc, we need to be taught what the terms deflation, inflation, debt, bonds, recession and depression really mean. The author states that we must reform the educational system to teach these financial terms and skills to our kids so that they can lean how to better prepare themselves for the real world.
        Now, as an educator, this is a utopian idea. I agree with the author for a more creative approach to economics and a better tackling of the term 'financial literacy' in education. However, we do not have adequate resources, funding, time and employed teachers to do so. If we are to increase our young peoples' financial literacy, we are going to need more support from the government instead of being suppressed under tight budgets, lack of resources and properly paid and employed teachers.
        I firmly believe after gaining financial literacy through these books and other resources that it is essential to our wellness wheels. Money and talk of money seems to drag people down emotionally, cause relationships to struggle, and even lead to a loss of interest in exercising (the "all hope is lost" principle). For the sake of our social, emotional, physical and spiritual wellness, we all must brush up our financial literacy in this information age in order to try and alleviate our financial burdens and focus on our overall health.

Ryan Fahey
B.A Human Kinetics
CPTN Canada
Canfitpro FIS, PTS
NCCP

How to deal with a loss of motivation....

Have you ever lost motivation? Well you are most likely going to answer yes to that question. If you answered yes, you are not alone.  It seems as though most everyone can gain motivation to start a workout program, exercise, etc. However, as motivation is gained, it can also be lost. Sometimes we lose motivation for no apparent reason, while other times we lose motivation to workout due to tragedies in our lives, within our families, friends, etc. Or maybe we encounter an injury or illness which inhibits our opportunities to follow our exercise goals.

Whatever it may be, motivation is a tricky word. I like to think of exercise as a bell curve in mathematics. Sometimes it is low on the bell curve and sometimes you are on the peak of the curve and your workouts have never been better. However, if you find yourself in a bit of a rut, try to push through it or switch to something else. For example, you may have been running for 15 years and then one day you decide you want to try something different in order to keep exercising towards your healthy lifestyle. Or you may decide after lifting heavy weights for 5 or 6 years that you want to stop lifting and start canoeing or maybe doing calisthenics or free body exercises.

                Farmers rotate their crops in order to give the ground “a break” from the norm and to increase their productivity by having a new crop.  We need to think of our bodies the same way. We can train, train and train some more but eventually we must change our routines and our exercises to add new stresses to the body.

                So, when a loss of motivation comes….greet it! Make it a gift and not a curse. Run a different route and run different distances. Workout in a different gym or even move your workouts outside or into your mother’s basement. The day will come when motivation is not at it’s peak so you must have a plan in place before that day comes. Have a back-up plan in place which allows you to be creative and active! It never hurts to dabble into some different exercise classes, routines and to try adding new foods to your diet!

Ryan Fahey

B.A Human Kinetics

CPTN Canada

Canfitpro FIS, PTS

NCCP

Shirtless running

     Sorry ladies, but shirtless running is awesome. Yesterday it was a perfect day for a run so off I went for my 7km adventure. I took off down the country dirt road and went for my run. It was so nice that before I knew it, my shirt was off! Now, typically this would never happen but back home I live on a dirt road in the country and the only traffic along the road are the occassional rabbit or squirrel that scurry across in front of me. Therefore, my shirtless running experience awesome!
   Now, by all means I am not telling you to rip your shirt off and run through downtown Toronto with your shirt off. However, if you feel so inclined and you are in a slightly private area, do as you wish. Running is the ultimate form of natural aerobic activity and if you are capable of running or even walking and it is hot out, do not be afraid to do what makes you comfortable!
   
Ryan Fahey
B.A Human Kinetics
CPTN Canada
Canfitpro FIS, PTS
NCCP

No More Drive Thrus

   

       Imagine a world without drive- thrus. What would it be like? Would our lives
change drastically? Would everything be slower and more confusing? Would
more people be frustrated by getting wet when it is raining and they need to
walk to get their coffee? This is surely madness! I can hear you saying but
Ryan, we NEED drive- thrus. After all, they speed up our day. They allow us
to sleep those 3 extra minutes in the morning.They shrink parking lot space
which is obviously more environmentally friendly, right?
       Fortunately I am home alone so I can yell at the top of my lungs. Drive-
thrus are superfluous and completely unnecessary. If we are really in that
much of a rush before work we probably have time management issues we need
to sort out. We need to make better use of our mornings with the short time
we often have before work. This is not easy, but idling in your car going
through the driv- thru is not the answer. Now is this environmentally
friendly due to smaller parking lot spaces? NAAAAAAAAAAH!!. While you are
sitting in your car, your diesel half ton or minivan you are still emitting
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. I would argue you could easily build
bigger parking lots if it meant cars were burning less gas not idling
waiting to purchase items.
        Most of us cannot picture a world without drive-thrus because they are so
convenient for us. Why drag the kids out of the back of the mini van after
that hockey game if you can just drive up and get you order, right? Well if
you have read Scooby's last blog about the obesity pandemic that is
currently undertaking both Canada and its neighbour state side, you will see
other small changes which we as parents, educators, leaders, coaches and
citizens can do to turn the tide on obesity. Think about it. If we are
always going through the drive- thru what are we teaching our kids to do
when they can drive?A new study was out just a few days ago which stated
that in Canada 47% of kids are getting three hours or less of physical
activity per week (including weekends). Why not teach them to at least go
inside to do their banking, pick up medications, etc..
     This leads me to my final point. Why are we in the drive- thru to begin
with? Are we ordering fast food? Are we doing our banking? Are we getting
medications? I feel like there is something fundamentally wrong here. When
did we stop moving to get our prescriptions for medications which we
probably would not need if we moved? When did we need money any faster than
those times we would just walk into the bank to get it? When did fast food
become more important than sleep so that we find ourselves sleeping 3 more
minutes so that we can zip through the drive- thru for our high calorie
breakfast?
   I think as a nation Canada needs to really consider who or what is in
control of our lives. Are we just on motor function throughout the day while
our inactive actions consume us? Or are we going to stand up against this
pandemic, manage our precious time better so that we can show our children
and youth that walking to grab a coffee is better for us?. Be a role model
and be the change you wish to see in the world. Join the conversation on
twitter @wellnessrf and let me hear your thoughts.

Ryan Fahey
B.A Human Kinetics

CPTN Canada
Canfitpro FIS, PTS
NCCP