Physiotherapy Toronto Blog 

The start of a new year is a great time to think about your health. If losing weight is one of your goals, you’re not alone! Many people want to feel healthier and more energetic. The good news is that with a few simple changes, you can lose weight and keep it off for good. Here’s how to get started:

1. Set Small Goals

Big changes start with small steps. Instead of saying, “I want to lose 30 pounds,” set smaller goals like, “I’ll eat one more vegetable each day” or “I’ll take a 10-minute walk after dinner.” Achieving these small goals will make you feel proud and keep you motivated.

2. Eat More Real Food

Focus on eating whole, healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. These foods fill you up and give your body the nutrients it needs. Try to avoid processed foods like chips, cookies, and sugary drinks. They may taste good, but they often leave you feeling hungry again soon after.

3. Watch Your Portions

Sometimes we eat more than we need without realizing it. Using smaller plates and bowls can help you eat less without feeling deprived. Also, try eating slowly and stopping when you feel satisfied, not stuffed. Sometimes it can take a while to feel full, so if we rush to eat our meals we will miss out on that feeling and overeat.

4. Lift Weights

Lifting weights will help you build muscle. Muscle is not only important for playing sports and athletic activities, but it makes everything we do easier. Muscle also burns more calories than fat, so having more muscle is a great way to boost your metabolism. Finally, when we try and lose weight we often eat less food. Eating less food will cause the body to lose weight, but we can lose muscle too. Lifting weights is necessary to make sure we lose fat and keep muscle.

5. Eat More Protein

Eating more protein will help you feel more full and satisfied with your meals. You also need enough protein to build and maintain muscle. Protein is also really important if you’re lowering the amount of food you eat because you want to lose fat and not muscle.

6. Get Enough Sleep

Did you know that lack of sleep can make it harder to lose weight? When you’re tired, your body craves sugary and fatty foods for quick energy. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night to help your body stay balanced and your mind stay sharp.

7. Be Patient and Kind to Yourself

Losing weight takes time, and it’s normal to have ups and downs. Don’t give up if you slip up or don’t see results right away. Focus on making healthy choices most of the time, and remember that progress is more important than perfection.

8. Find Support

Having a friend or family member to cheer you on can make a big difference. You could also get a trainer. Working with a professional who can coach you on nutrition and exercise will help you reach your goals quicker and more safely. They will also keep you accountable so you don’t fall off track.

Whatever your goals are this year I know you can achieve them. Remember to put your health and fitness first. You deserve it!

Article provided by RMT and Certified Personal Trainer, Ian Paron. Ian knows the importance of maintaining muscle and strength and the vital role they play in both performance and quality of life. Ian shares his passion for strength training with everyone from competitive athletes looking to prevent injury or increase their performance, to retired grandparents wanting to be able to continue to play with their grandchildren.

Click here for more information about Personal Training at Athlete's Care Leaside or call 416-546-9454 today and sign up for 50% OFF the FIRST TWO WEEKS OF TRAINING! Mention promo code AC50BLOG.  This promotion is valid for first time clients only and cannot be used in combination with any other offer.

The pelvic floor is a crucial yet often overlooked component of our overall health. The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and connective tissues located across the bottom of the pelvis. You can think of it as a sling of muscles extending from the front of your pubic bone to your tailbone and across to your two sit bones. These muscles play a vital role in many bodily functions, including bowel and bladder control, sexual function, supporting your pelvic organs against gravity and pressure, pumping blood and lymph to the heart, and creating stability for your spine and pelvis during daily movements. When the pelvic floor muscles become weak from underactivity or overactivity, it can cause a variety of issues. Below is a list of conditions caused by pelvic floor dysfunction. If you experience any of the following, know that a pelvic floor therapist can help guide you and treat these conditions:

1.      Urinary Incontinence (UI)
Urinary incontinence is the involuntary leakage of urine. Some people may experience stress urinary incontinence (SUI), which is leakage during activities like coughing, laughing, sneezing, or exercising. Others may have an intense urge to urinate that prevents them from reaching the toilet in time, known as urge urinary incontinence (UUI). It is also possible for some individuals to experience both SUI and UUI.

2.      Painful Intercourse
Many women experience pain during sex, also called dyspareunia. This can stem from multiple factors, including physical, emotional, or psychological aspects. Specific causes include an overactive pelvic floor, past trauma, hormonal changes such as menopause, medical conditions like endometriosis, and stress or anxiety, which can create a cycle of pain and fear around sexual activity.

3.      Prolapse
Prolapse refers to the condition where pelvic organs, such as the bladder, uterus, or rectum, descend from their normal position due to weakened pelvic floor muscles and connective tissues. This can lead to a bulging sensation, discomfort, and issues with bladder or bowel control. Causes vary and may include childbirth and conditions that place additional pressure on the pelvic floor for prolonged periods, such as allergies, chronic coughing, or chronic constipation.

4.      Labor and Delivery Preparation and Postpartum Recovery
Pelvic physiotherapists can support you throughout your entire pregnancy experience, from your first trimester to your postpartum journey. Emphasis is placed on labor and delivery preparation, where your therapist will guide you on pushing mechanics, safe birthing positions, exercises, and overall help you prepare for your important day, instilling confidence in you. Your therapist can also begin seeing you as soon as six weeks postpartum to help guide your return to activity, optimize your pelvic floor, and connect you with the right resources in your community to help you reach your personal goals.

Your therapist will help identify your goals, gain insight into your history, conduct a thorough evaluation, and develop an individualized treatment plan to help you achieve your objectives. Know that you do not have to suffer in silence or alone!

Article provided by Registered Physiotherapist  Julia Rudecki. Julia utilizes a patient-centered and biopsychosocial approach and collaborates with her patients to provide specific and individualized care. Treatments consist of education, manual therapy, soft tissue work, exercise, dry needling, acupuncture and lifestyle modification. Julia has a passion for pelvic health. She is dedicated to creating a safe space for her patients, where they feel listened to, supported, and empowered to embark on their pelvic health journey. She provides a holistic assessment and treatment to help her patients thrive. Julia's training and interests includes pelvic pain, incontinence, painful intercourse, constipation, coccydynia, prolapse, diastasis recti, and guiding clients through their pregnancy and postpartum journey.  Click here to book an appointment with Julia at Athlete's Care - Adelaide & York

In Canada, about 36% of the population is classified as overweight. This is in addition to the 27% who are classified as obese. Combined, this means that around 63% of Canadian adults are either overweight or obese. These statistics highlight the prevalence of weight-related health issues in our country. People in this group are at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and are at greater risk of all cause mortality. Strength training is a great way to help you lose weight, and it does more than just make you stronger. It’s like giving your body a boost in a few different ways that work together to help you burn fat and keep it off.

When you do strength training, like lifting weights or, you build muscle. Muscles are special because they burn more calories than fat, even when you’re just sitting around. So, the more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns every day, even when you’re not exercising. This means that by getting stronger and building muscle, your body becomes better at burning calories all the time.

But that’s not the only way strength training helps with weight loss. When you work out, you burn calories. Strength training can burn a lot of calories, especially if you’re doing exercises that use big muscle groups, like squats or deadlifts. Plus, after a strength workout, your body needs to repair your muscles, and that takes energy, too. This means you keep burning calories even after you’ve finished your workout, which helps you lose weight over time.

Another important thing about strength training is that it helps you keep your muscle while you’re losing weight. When people try to lose weight by dieting alone, they often lose muscle along with fat. This isn’t good because less muscle means your body doesn’t burn as many calories. But when you do strength training, you hold on to your muscle, so the weight you lose is more likely to be fat, not muscle. This helps you stay strong and keeps your metabolism (the way your body burns calories) high.

Strength training also helps your body use sugar better. When your muscles are bigger and stronger, they help your body manage blood sugar levels more efficiently. This is important because when your body uses sugar well, it’s less likely to store extra calories as fat. So, by getting stronger, you’re helping your body stay balanced and healthy, which supports your weight loss goals.

Over time, as you get used to strength training, your body becomes better at using fat for energy. This means your body learns to burn fat more efficiently, which helps you lose fat and keep it off. And because strength training makes your muscles stronger, it also makes it easier to do everyday activities. When things like carrying groceries or climbing stairs feel easier, you’re more likely to stay active, which helps you burn even more calories throughout the day.

The best part about strength training is that it helps you keep the weight off for good. By building and keeping your muscles strong, you’re setting yourself up for long-term success. A strong body burns more calories, stays active, and helps you maintain a healthy weight. So, if you’re looking to lose weight and keep it off, strength training is a smart and powerful way to do it.

Article provided by RMT and Certified Personal Trainer, Ian Paron. Ian knows the importance of maintaining muscle and strength and the vital role they play in both performance and quality of life. Ian shares his passion for strength training with everyone from competitive athletes looking to prevent injury or increase their performance, to retired grandparents wanting to be able to continue to play with their grandchildren.

Click here for more information about Personal Training at Athlete's Care Leaside or call 416-546-9454 today and sign up for 50% OFF the FIRST TWO WEEKS OF TRAINING! Mention promo code AC50BLOG.  This promotion is valid for first time clients only and cannot be used in combination with any other offer.

Reduced bone density, called osteoporosis, makes bones more likely to break. This is a big problem for older adults, especially women after menopause, older men, and people with a family history of weak bones. People who don't exercise much, eat poorly, or have certain health conditions are also at higher risk. Knowing how to keep bones strong is very important to avoid serious injuries and to maintain overall health.

Lifting weights makes our bones stronger by putting pressure on them, which stimulates special cells called osteoblasts to create more bone material. This process helps our bones become thicker and stronger. This is like giving our bones a workout, just like how our muscles get stronger when we exercise them. Strong bones are essential for supporting our body and helping us move safely.

When we lift weights, we also build bigger muscles, which support and protect our bones. Bigger muscles help prevent falls and injuries. Lifting weights also increases the production of important hormones that help our bones grow and stay healthy, making sure our bones remain strong as we age. Additionally, these hormones can improve our overall energy and mood.

Regular weightlifting also improves our balance and coordination, reducing the chances of falls that can lead to bone injuries. By keeping our bones strong and resilient, weightlifting helps protect against osteoporosis and reduces the risk of fractures, ensuring our bones stay healthy throughout our lives. Good balance and coordination make everyday activities easier and safer.

Call 416-546-9454 today and sign up for 50% OFF the FIRST TWO WEEKS OF TRAINING!  Mention promo code AC50BLOG.  This promotion is valid for first time clients only and cannot be used in combination with any other offer. 

Article provided by RMT and Certified Personal Trainer, Ian Paron. Ian knows the importance of maintaining muscle and strength and the vital role they play in both performance and quality of life. Ian shares his passion for strength training with everyone from competitive athletes looking to prevent injury or increase their performance, to retired grandparents wanting to be able to continue to play with their grandchildren.

Click here for more information about Personal Training at Athlete's Care Leaside.