1. YOU NEED 10,000 STEPS A DAY TO BE HEALTHY
  • While this 10,000 steps marker is a great benchmark for overall activity, it is not the only parameter we need to focus on with respect to movement. Walking is fantastic exercise- honestly! However, if you are meeting Canada’s Physical Activity Guidelines (150 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity per week for adults), then it’s very likely you do not even come close to the 10,000-step benchmark- especially if you’re not overly active the rest of your day. So, which is better?! While overall volume of activity is important (i.e. getting 10,000 steps a day), so is Increasing your heart rate for a sustained period has numerous metabolic benefits… ones that you will not be able to capture if you’re simply focused on 10,000 steps at a “light” intensity!

Check out the Physical Activity Guidelines for YOU! https://csep.ca/CMFiles/Guidelines/CSEP_PAGuidelines_0-65plus_en.pdf

  1. DOING TARGETED EXERCISES WILL HELP YOU LOSE FAT IN A SPECIFIC AREA
  • Ever heard the myth that if you do lots of ab exercises, you’ll lose belly fat? I hate to break it to you, but that is simply not the case. The only way to essentially lose body fat is to be in a caloric deficit (so not CONSUMING more calories than your body is EXPENDING). In essence, this is how weight loss occurs… and NO, we don’t get to choose where it comes off first! Where the fat comes off first will depend on things like genetics, but generally, we see men and women lose weight first from their trunk and hips respectively. Once we’ve decreased our body fat, we can begin targeted exercises to increase the strength of that area to give it more definition, or as we like to call it, “toned”.
  1. NATURAL SUGARS ARE BETTER FOR YOU THAN REFINED SUGARS
  • The truth is sugar is sugar. Just because sugar has a fancy name like; coconut sugar, agave nectar, “raw” sugar, palm sugar, etc., that doesn’t change the fact that it’s sugar. There are some benefits to natural sugar, however ALL SUGAR contributes to your overall sugar intake at the end of the day. For example, if you had to choose between orange soda, orange juice, or an orange, which one would you pick? A 16 oz. can of orange soda has 58g of sugar, a 16 oz. glass of orange juice has 48g of sugar, and a medium sized orange has about 10-13g. Eating the whole fruit will still raise your blood sugar and contribute to your overall sugar intake, however it will raise blood sugar slower and provide additional nutrients that the fruit has to offer like fiber, antioxidants, etc.
  1. SUNSCREEN IS ONLY NECESSARY WHEN IT’S SUNNY
  • While many think that sunscreen should only be worn in the summer or when it’s sunny, experts advise that it be worn daily, regardless if you’re indoor/outdoor, or the time of year. Dermatologists recommend an SPF of 30 because it is sufficient protection to reduce the adverse effects caused by sunlight. Apply your sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside and reapply (every 2 hours) throughout the day. Sunscreen is not only vital for the health of the largest organ in our body – our SKIN – but it’s likely the best (and cheapest!) “anti-aging” skin cream you’ll ever purchase. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, 1 in 7 Canadians will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime.

Stay safe and healthy out there- warmer, brighter months are ahead of us!

Sources:

https://www.allure.com/story/sunscreen-tips-from-dermatologists

https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2015/natural-and-added-sugars-two-sides-of-the-same-coin/