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Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, I don’t have a magic secret to success like a special pre-workout drink or exercise plan with specific amounts of bodyweight exercises or high-intensity aerobic exercise. It’s actually much simpler than that. When it comes to achieving your fitness goals, consistency is the secret ingredient that can make all the difference. Consistency in training refers to the regular and ongoing commitment to your fitness routine without frequent interruptions or extended periods of inactivity. The Secret Ingredient to Achieving Your Fitness Goals In this blog post, we'll delve into the importance of consistency in fitness training and explore how it can lead to remarkable results and long-term success. Consistency Creates a Positive Feedback Loop Consistency helps create a positive feedback loop. As you stay committed and see progress over time, it reinforces your motivation, boosts your confidence, and fuels your desire to continue improving. It become...

  Setting fitness goals is an essential aspect of any successful fitness journey. Goals provide direction, motivation, and a sense of achievement when you have accomplished your goals. You should always make sure to set SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time bound). However, even if you have set a SMART goal, it might end up doing more harm than good. In this post we'll explore some fitness goals you might want to avoid. These goals, despite good intentions, can sometimes hinder your progress and lead to frustration. By understanding the potential flaws and limitations of your goals, you can set realistic and effective goals that will help you achieve long-term success. 1. Unrealistic Weight Loss Targets One common mistake people make is setting unrealistic goals such as extreme weight loss goals. This can be an excessive amount of weight, a short time to lose a given amount or a combination of excessive weight in an unreasonable amount of time. While sheddin...

The exam period is a stressful time. For many students, it's the culmination of three months into one four-hour session of reading, writing and bubble sheet marking, hoping for the best possible result. We all know one of the best ways to succeed is to study as much as possible, but what if I told you there is another thing you can do to make a big difference, and that thing is exercise! In this post, I'll share with you five ways exercise can help you get a higher score on your exams. But don't just take my word for it; there's actual scientific research to back up these claims. So, let's dive in! 1. Exercise boosts brain power Did you know that exercise can actually make you smarter? According to a study published in the journal "Neuroscience" in 2014, aerobic exercise can increase the size of the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning. In other words, exercise can help you remember and retain information better, ...

People often struggle with sticking to a regular fitness routine, despite the numerous benefits of exercise. There are several factors that can make it difficult to go to the gym or maintain a regular exercise routine. However, with a bit of creativity and effort, overcoming these challenges and achieving your fitness goals is possible. In this article, we'll explore three common factors preventing people from going to the gym and provide solutions to help you make your routine stick. Lack of time Many people have busy schedules and struggle to find time to fit in exercise. We understand life tends to get in the way, though there are many reasons to prioritize your health and make fitness a regular part of your routine. Here are some tips to make more time for fitness. Solutions: Wake up earlier: One solution is to wake up earlier in the morning and exercise before you start your day. This way, you get your workout done before other tasks or distractions can interfere. Use...

  by  Andrea Dietrich ,  B.Kin., CSEP-CPT ,  Fitness and Training Coordinator,  Recreation Services  at the University of Manitoba 1. You lack a plan of attack Congratulations, you've made it to the gym, but what do you do now? This conundrum happens to us all, but mainly to those new to the gym. You'll be more successful in your workouts if you have a workout program, and you'll be more productive with your time in the gym. A personal trainer will not only create a program for you, but they will help get you comfortable in the gym and show you how to use our equipment safely. We don't believe in gate-keeping the gym floor and want to ensure you feel confident in our spaces. 2. You want an experienced professional Did you know that CSEP-certified trainers are continuously learning? It's true. It's a requirement for us to stay certified every year. We're all degreed professionals who have demonstrated core competencies through challenging the Canadian Soc...

Muscle Hypertrophy vs Muscle Hyperplasia When we talk about muscle growth, we almost always are speaking about muscle fibre hypertrophy. However, there is another controversial term called Hyperplasia. They sound similar, and they look the same on the outside, but the process is quite different. What's the difference? Muscle fibre hypertrophy is the increase in the diameter of a muscle fibre. Diameter fibres grow by increasing the size of contractile proteins or increasing fluid or enzymes in muscle cells. This growth results in an increase in the cross-sectional area of the muscle. Hyperplasia is the increase in the number of muscle fibres resulting in similar growth. Aesthetically, both would look the same, appearing as larger muscles.  Does Hyperplasia actually exist? The term hyperplasia is often associated with tumour growth via uncontrolled cellular Hyperplasia, but skeletal muscle hyperplasia has no association with tumour growth. 20-25 years ago, skeletal muscle hyperplasia...

by  Adam Toffan , M.Sc, NSCA-CSCS,  CSEP-CEP  Assistant Fitness Training and Assessment Coordinator,  Recreation Services  at the University of Manitoba In honour of National Wine Day, which is May 25th this year, I want to discuss the health benefits (and risks) of having a drink every day. Having wine or any alcohol can have some great health benefits, but it is a slippery slope where increased consumption reaches a tipping point between health benefits and health risks. In this post, I want to cover both benefits and risks and what “moderation” means for men and women alike.  Serving size A single serving of alcohol is classified as 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer or 1.5 ounces of liquor. This is an estimate with alcoholic beverages being made with different potencies, but a serving is considered 12-14 grams of alcohol.  Why is a drink a day considered healthy? The active ingredient in alcohol is ethanol, which affects lipid levels (triglyceride...