Five Quick Wellness Boosts for Vancouver Moms

1. Get a Facial – A couple of us here at VancouverMom.ca had the chance to try facials at Skoah recently, and we’re hooked. If you’ve never had a facial, you’re really missing out. Skoah’s “Quickie” treatment will have you in and out on your lunch hour with time left over to eat something, and will leave you with glowing skin and a heavy dose of relaxation. What mom couldn’t use a little more pampering? It’s a definite wellness win in our book.
2. Practice Mindfulness – Back in December, Lori Lucas offered us some tips for A More Mindful Holiday Season. Her suggestions for practicing mindfulness work all year round. By being truly present in what you’re doing you can reduce your stress level and increase your mental and emotional wellness. The best part is that you don’t have to go anywhere or do anything differently than you normally would – you just have to pay attention. Plus, it doesn’t cost a thing!
3. Attend a Drop-In Playgroup – If you find yourself at home alone with your kids all day, it’s easy to go a little stir-crazy, especially when the weather is cold and rainy. We recently shared three West Side community centre drop-ins with you, but there are many more all across the city. Call up your local community centre and see what’s on offer, then get out and connect with some other moms and see how it improves your frame of mind.
4. Try a New Workout – We teamed up with the folks at Executive Lifestyles to sample their Gravity Training System, and one of the things we loved about it is that the workout is just 30 minutes long. A new fitness regime can really boost your energy. You don’t need a ton of time to take care of your physical wellness, and by switching things up you can keep it fresh and interesting.
5. Eat Something Yummy – Dine Out Vancouver is running until February 5, which is a great chance to get out and sample some Vancouver restaurants. But you don’t need a prix-fixe menu to have a great dining experience. We have lots of Vancouver restaurant suggestions for you. Or maybe you don’t want to leave the house at all. Whatever tickles your fancy, eating something really good is a great way to take care of yourself and give yourself a quick mental boost at the same time.

How do you give yourself a quick wellness boost when your energy is flagging? Leave us a reply and let us know.

*Image credit – Foundry Park Inn on Flickr.

We are always on the lookout in my family for restaurants that open early for breakfast on weekends. We recently discovered that The Naam, the quintessential West Side vegetarian restaurant, is open 24 hours. Sold. Early morning weekend breakfast it is.

Up Bright and Early at a Vancouver Restaurant

Whether you’re a vegan, a vegetarian or an omnivore, you will find something to suit your taste buds at The Naam. With a good variety of egg (or tofu) dishes, omelettes, pancakes, cereals and smoothies, both you and your picky little ones will be satisfied. The ingredients they use always seem super fresh and healthy – which is important in a vegetarian restaurant.  It certainly beats a whole lot of other early morning breakfast places where the closest thing you’ll find to a vegetable is hashbrowns.

On a recent visit to the Vancouver restaurant, prompted by my daughter’s early rising and a complete lack of food in my refrigerator, I ordered the spinach and feta omelette. Was it the best breakfast I’ve ever had? Probably not. But it was still pretty tasty, and the ingredients were exceptionally fresh and healthy. And did I mention that they’re open 24 hours? If your kid is going to wake you up at 6:00 am on a Saturday, you might as well get out there and get some fresh, yummy food in your belly!

Not Just Breakfast

For those of you who are fortunate to have children who don’t wake up before the sun rises, you can still check out The Naam for lunch or dinner. Don’t be scared off by the fact that you can’t order a steak. Their salads, Mexican dishes and veggie burger platters more than make up for the lack of meat on the menu.

While The Naam is certainly a child-friendly Vancouver restaurant with their high chairs and generally welcoming attitude, it is also a great place to try for date night or an evening out with friends. They have live music every night from 7:00 – 10:00 pm. The schedule of performers is posted on their website, so once you find a favourite, you can be sure to go back again and again to hear them some more.

What’s your favourite Vancouver restaurant when you’re looking for fresh and healthy food? Leave us a reply and let us know.

The Naam

www.thenaam.com | Facebook
2724 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver

Winter Cycling in Vancouver: The Gear

As I set out on my first ride in real Vancouver winter weather back in November, I decided not to wear waterproof pants. “How wet can I really get on a ten minute ride?” I wondered, like a fool. The answer is: very wet. Drenched, in fact. I arrived, sodden and freezing, at my destination, vowing to never do that again. When you’re cycling in Vancouver, waterproof pants are a must. I got mine at Mountain Equipment Coop, and now I won’t leave the house without them on a wet day.

I’m frugal, so I held out on getting shoe covers despite having had experienced cyclists tell me they were a must. “So what if my feet get a little wet? I can bring extra socks and shoes and change when I get there,” I thought, again like a fool. While this approach did work, I was pretty miserable with feet that never quite warmed up after my ride, and putting wet shoes on for the return trip was also less than ideal. Worst of all, after a couple of weeks, the running shoes I’d been wearing for cycling started to fall apart from all that moisture. I wasn’t exactly saving money by destroying perfectly good runners, so I caved and bought shoe covers. I’ve also found gloves to be essential to winter cycling in Vancouver, not so much from a drenching-prevention stance as from a so-cold-I-can’t-move-my-fingers perspective.

Make Yourself Visible

When you’re cycling in Vancouver in dark, wet weather, being seen is a huge concern. I’ve already talked about lights and how important they are. My hideous jacket of high visibility is okay for cloudy but dry days, but not waterproof enough for the average downtown Vancouver slog through winter rain. I already had a great rain jacket with vented armpits – a must for long rides where waterproof outerwear can cause unpleasant sweatiness – but it’s dark grey, which does nothing for visibility. To stand out, I picked up one of those obnoxiously bright reflective safety vests they wear on construction sites and road crews. It may not be pretty, but it makes me hard to miss. Or perhaps better stated in this case: easy to miss.

Five Safety Tips for Cycling in Vancouver

Five quick tips to increase your odds of arriving unscathed:

1. Obey traffic laws. Don’t blow through red lights, don’t dart out in front of cars or pedestrians who aren’t expecting it.
2. Learn the hand signals for left and right turns and use them. Letting drivers around you know what to expect is basic common sense.
3. Stay off the sidewalks. For one thing, it’s against the law. For another, it’s rude, and makes the rest of us look bad. If you must go on the sidewalk, walk your bike.
4. Don’t ride around with earphones in blasting music so loud other cyclists can hear it. You won’t know about the vehicle coming up behind you on your left if you’re too busy getting your groove on to hear it.
5. Don’t assume drivers will give the cycling lane the right of way. Most do, some don’t. Make eye contact with the driver before making any move that takes you in front of a vehicle.

Most of these tips boil down to don’t be that guy. If you’re interested in cycling in Vancouver but unsure about how to navigate downtown streets, check out the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition and their Streetwise Cycling Courses.

Any essential tips I missed for winter cycling in Vancouver? Please let us know in the comments!

As if it wasn’t enough to provide such a wide range of class and services, what makes Body & Soul stand out from the crowd is how they integrate your various experiences at the studio in order to produce a better and more well-informed result for your overall wellness. For example, a health assessment report goes in your file so your personal trainer can better plan your workout and go on to leave notes and comments to guide your massage therapist. I found this sharing of information between the various trainers and practitioners I worked with made for a far better experience than I’ve ever had in the past.

Taking Stock of Your Health and Wellness

If you want to take charge of your health or get in shape this year and don’t know where to start, I would highly recommend getting an health assessment done at Body & Soul. While it is not always the most enjoyable thing to get on a scale or have your thighs measured by a stranger, the health assessment provides you with an invaluable, detailed and succinct picture of you current health and wellness. In addition to the simple weighing and measuring, you also go through a series of tests and exercises (i.e. running or walking on a treadmill, pushups, plank, etc.) to measure your endurance, strength and flexibility among other things. The tests and my results were explained to me along the way in a clear and interesting way. I was put me at ease right away and I found that I wasn’t as intimidated or embarrassed as I thought I would be, which we all know is key when experiencing something so personal.

Personal Training

If you’ve ever worked out with a trainer before, you know that finding someone you click with is important for feeling motivated and for seeing an improvement in your physical wellness. The trainers that I met at Body & Soul were friendly, approachable, creative and knowledgeable. Thanks to my health assessment report, my trainer had prepared a workout that was custom designed to strengthen my weaknesses and challenge my strengths. The exercises were creative and dynamic, which kept it interesting and made the time go faster than I had expected it to!

Massage Therapy

In my experience, there is no such thing as a bad massage. There are, however, several degrees of good massages. My massage at Body & Soul was one of the best I’ve ever had. I attribute this to the fact that my RMT took the time at the beginning of our session to discuss my history with me, to feel and observe my posture and alignment and to perform several easy tests to determine my range of motion. As a result, she was able to target the exact location of my tension and strain and used her time most productively in those areas. I was so grateful for this purposeful and educated approach.

Yoga

Yoga is supposed to be great for your mental and physical wellness, but I have historically not been the biggest fan. I find many of the poses difficult, which leads me to feel easily discouraged. My experience at Body & Soul however was fantastic. The small class size made it easy for the instructor to guide me with custom modifications that challenged my flexibility and made me feel like I was actually getting something out of it.

There are a lot of health, fitness and wellness options out there, but there are very few places that offer so much variety under one roof. If you want to get serious about taking better care of yourself this year, check out Body & Soul Health and Fitness and find something that works for you.

Body & Soul Health and Fitness

www.bodysoul.ca | Facebook | Twitter
3785 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver

Popped!

Unlike most chips, popchips aren’t baked or fried. Instead, they’re made by taking potatoes and adding a little bit of heat and pressure. Like popcorn, they pop into something crunchy and tasty. Because they use popping, they’re flavourful (unlike baked chips), but they still contain less than half the fat of fried chips. Plus, they popchips come in six flavours, including original, BBQ, sour cream and onion, sea salt and vinegar, cheddar, and salt and pepper. You can find them at local Vancouver retailers like Urban Fare, Whole Foods, Shoppers Drug Mart, Safeway, and many others. They don’t contain trans fats, cholesterol, or fake colours and flavours.

If you need some convincing, popchips are endorsed by the supremely-sculpted wellness expert Jillian Michaels. She says that when they’re making resolutions, many people go into ‘feast or famine’ mode, and take on drastic diets that are not sustainable. When we’re focusing on our wellness, it’s better to make small changes to your diet that are easy to keep up. That’s why she recommends substituting fattier snack foods with lower-calorie options like popchips. Our giveaway can help you do just that!

PopChips Giveaway

Are you ready for some serious snacking? We hope so, because here’s what’s up for grabs in this giveaway worth $350:

• A one-year supply of popchips
• A printed copy of the Jillian Michaels’ Health Tips poster
• Some Jillian Michaels swag

Sound good? Read on to find out how you can enter this giveaway.

How to Enter

Mandatory entry:

Subscribe to our mail list using the form below:

Additional Entry (optional):

• Like popchips on Facebook and post a comment on their wall saying you’re entering to win a popchips prize from VancouverMom.ca.

Contest Rules for the PopChips Giveaway

• Contest runs until January 29, 2012 at 11:59 pm.
• Winner will be selected and contacted by email. If the winner doesn’t claim the prize, then another name will be selected.

Good luck!

Physical Wellness

When January rolls around, a lot of us are focused on our fitness – or lack thereof. The holiday season is really busy, and fitting in time to exercise is hard. On top of that, there are lots of treats coming our way all December long. If you woke up on New Year’s Day and decided it was time to start taking better care of yourself, you’re not alone. Here is what some of you had to say:

Brandee, who tweets as @Archaeolemur, says, “I would highly recommend trying a dance fit class, like Groove or Zumba. Or go for a different type of strength and try polefit.”

Erin McGann, whose handle is @erinehm, shares, “I’ve been doing Barre Fitness off and on for a few months and really like it.”

Chantal Vignola, or @ChantalVignola on Twitter, suggests a simple exercise routine, “20 minutes of cardio, three sets and 15 reps of push up, lunges, squats and sit ups, three sets and 15 reps of arms 5lbs and 15 minutes of cardio.”

The folks at @UrbanDigsFarm offer a novel suggestion, “Nothing like shoveling manure to kick start your new exercise routine! Volunteer at your local urban farm boot camp!”

Over on Facebook, many of you had suggestions to share as well. Britt Baxter-Bellas is doing, “Bootcamp, and we bought a jogging stroller so the whole family can run together!”

Stephanie Laesecke Kennedy is honing her fitness level indoors with, “Wii Just Dance 3!”

For Tamryn Goodes, physical wellness isn’t so much about the fitness routine as, “Support from a fellow mom. It always helps if you have someone to hold you accountable.”

Finally, Angie Heintz is following, “tlachallenge.com!!!”

Looking Good Feels Good

When you look good, you feel good. A great pair of pants really can enhance your mental wellness, so we decided to ask about your personal style picks. Here are your must-have fashion items for 2012:

@studiojeanie is all about, “Scarves and jackets and skirts!”

Style blogger Tracey Rossignol, who tweets as @tjrossignol, suggests, “Start with great fitting dark wash jeans.”

@catriona says, “ModCloth has been a revelation for me. Some gorgeous items. I’m all about dresses with leggings at the moment.”

Jen Arbo, a.k.a. @jenarbo, says that when it comes to refreshing her wardrobe, “Lately it’s been scarves and cardigans.”

@jenniferjulien says that she opts for, “An amazing pair of boots!”

Nadia Kelsch, whose handle is @n_cries, is all about the accessories, “Scarves, purses and shoes!”

You’re revamping your style over on Facebook, as well. East Side Contributor Lisa Corriveau says, “I’m working on replacing my cheapo transitional post-baby wardrobe with decent stuff now that I’m more or less back to pre-baby size. Current must-have: long black sweater jacket with asymmetrical button closure.”

Maggie Chilton has style in the bag. She shares, “Must haves? A stylish, sophisticated purse.”

A Quick Pick-me-Up

Nothing enhances wellness like a pick-me-up when you’re feeling down. We asked what you do for a quick fix, and here’s what you said:

@CanadianNanny likes to, “Go running outside when it is not raining.”

Rebecca Coleman, who tweets as @RebeccaColeman opts for, “Chocolate! And yoga.”

Heather van Mil, a.k.a. @heather_vmil, and Jill Amery, a.k.a. @urbanmommies, are talking about it. Heather says, “Going the extra mile with your outfit and make up when you normally wear sweats! Jill knows what I’m talking about.” Jill responds, “But today I look hot. OK, maybe not, but my hair’s clean.” And Heather wraps it up with, “That’s a big deal, let me tell you!” Any mom can relate.

You’re sharing your wellness-enhancing pick-me-ups on Facebook, too. When she’s feeling down, Francesca Marchetto chooses, “Chocolate.”

Julie Nowell says, “Hmmm…. action. I am usually ‘low’ because I am lazy, or not feeling productive! And the hubby… he is a good pick me up as well! Love him!”

Bethany Schiedel goes for, “Yoga.”

Harriet Fancott shares her pick-me-up, “Making hay while the sun shines, which it did today.”

Finally, Catriona Campbell shares one that many of us can relate to, “Coffee!”

What about you – what are your tips for enhancing your wellness? Leave us a reply and let us know!

*Photo credit: Edson Hong on Flickr

Now that the kids are back in school, the decorations are put away and the daily grind has started again, what better time than January to schedule a little pampering for yourself? Its the perfect time to make a resolution to put yourself first every once in a while and to take time for your own wellness on a regular basis.

A Fabulous Spa Experience

Le Petit Spa is a great place to dissolve all of your post-holidays tension. Tired and sore from all that wrapping, baking and lego-building? Try a massage! Are your nails in a sorry state from trying to extricate toys from their securely fastened box homes? You need a manicure! Did you suffer a temporary relapse into your twenties on New Year’s Eve? A facial will go a long way to clear those dark circles that right up.

Le Petit Spa has a relaxing and friendly environment, and in my experience they do great work. They have a convenient online booking system and dedicated parking right outside their door. With a full service menu of options, you can’t ask for much more. It’s time to put your own wellness first, and indulge in a little bit of pampering.

Wellness for New Moms

Are you a new mom? Are you looking for a gift idea for a new mom or mom-to-be? Le Petit Spa offers appointments on Wednesdays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm for moms and babies less than 10 months old to come in together! When my daughter was six months old, I took her with me when I got a pedicure and it was a great experience. I also had my mom with me, so we were able to hand her back and forth as she got restless, but it was such a nice treat to feel like I was taking some time for my own wellness without having to be apart from my daughter to do it.

Le Petit Spa recommends either a pedicure package or a mom and baby reflexology treatment for these Wednesday appointments. What new mom or mom-to-be wouldn’t love to receive a gift card to enjoy a spa experience along with their baby? Better yet, get a gift card for yourself too and tag along with mom and baby!

Le Petit Spa

www.lepetitspa.ca | Facebook | Twitter
4 – 3701 West Broadway, Vancouver

Giveaway: Experience Wellness

Soma is generously offering one VancouverMom.ca reader a one-hour massage! The prize is valued at $100, and it’s the perfect way to restore your balance and get 2012 off to the right start. So how do you enter? Read on for all the details on this fabulous (and relaxing) giveaway.

How to Enter

Mandatory entry:

The contest is now closed.

Additional Entry (optional):

Subscribe to our mail list using the form below:

Contest Rules for the Soma Studio Giveaway

• Contest runs until January 22, 2012 at 11:59 pm.
• Winner will be selected by Soma Studio and contacted by email. If the winner doesn’t claim the prize, then another name will be selected.

Good luck!

Soma Studio

www.somastudio.net | Twitter | Facebook

Suite 303 – 1529 West 6th, Vancouver

Time for a Change

This mom body needs a serious makeover! I don’t want to wear mom jeans, ever. I don’t actually own any and I’m not going to buy any! I’m still holding tight to my coveted jeans of pre-motherhood, but without a serious shakeup my dream of fitting back into them is fading fast.

The last time I told myself I needed a big change in my life, my son Sam was born seven months later. I know, I know – do the math. I didn’t know at the time, but Sammy was more than just a twinkle if you get my drift. But that’s another story.

In Search of Wellness

Back to the backside that eludes my jeans collection. Ready for change one fateful day, and ready to embrace a greater sense of wellness, I went to my first Zumba class. I was a little nervous (or maybe a lot nervous). I haven’t done anything resembling dance except in baby music class. That consists of bobbing out of time to the music with my baby . He doesn’t get rhythm, yet. But soon he will. So, I thought I must prepare.

I swallowed my nerves and gave Zumba a shot. Can you say addicted? I can’t believe I have been missing out on this. It is so much fun, I’ve never sweat so much and had such an awesome time doing it! Never did I think I would love a song by Pitbull, some rapper guy with a bad name. It reaches to the core of what was my sexy self was back in the day. A little bit raunch, a lot boom! boom! and feeling very, very free.

A Hot Little Ball of Energy

My instructor Bianca is a hot little ball of energy. She’s got just the right mix of music and moves, and breaks it down if we’re not getting it. I love that we work on specific choreography to each song. It makes me think that one day, I’ll hear Pitbull and be inspired to shake my moneymaker on the dance floor! I’m also hoping that dance floor isn’t a grocery store aisle or somewhere else potentially embarrassing. You never know.

I’ve already signed up for my next set of classes in January. And there is an event that I’m sure you won’t want to miss now that you are as excited as me and have taken the time to read this article. Thanks for that, by the way. I hope you’ll enhance your own wellness and start the New Year off with a bang by getting Zumba-fied with me!

Zumba Dance Party

When: January 14, 2012 from 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Where: Creekside Community Centre
What: Get pumped with a professional DJ and his spectacular light show. Sway to the warm and pulsating rhythms from established local musicians! Fitness certified, dynamic instructors promise to take you on a musical journey through the local dance floors of Latin America and beyond. So bring your bling, your funk, your freestyle, comfortable dancing shoes or runners and dress to impress no one but yourself.
Cost: $20 in advance, $25 at the door (space permitting)
Register: pbregister.vancouver.ca/adet.sdi?activity_id=311854

Have you tried Zumba? Did you like it? And what’s on your list of new exercise or wellness routines to try in the New Year?

Zumba Vancouver

www.zumbavancouver.ca | Twitter | Facebook

Leeanne Ekland is a stay-at-home mom of one, who’s on a mission to rediscover love, wellness, and neighbourhood happenings, and to have a ton of fun. She’s blogging about her experiences leeanneekland.com. Having started the parenting experience much later than most, she offers a unique perspective on the challenges and all that is amazing about being a new mom over 40. At least – she does when she’s not napping, which is something she does often.

Resolutions to Move It, Move It

Getting into shape is a perennial item on almost everyone’s list of New Year’s resolutions, and is usually the first one to fall by the wayside. We can’t find the time, we don’t enjoy it, or we lose interest after a few weeks. To keep the motivation high, here are some suggestions for fun ways to move our bodies in Downtown Vancouver:

• Head to the barre! Try a Bar Method class for a challenging full-body workout that combines elements of dance and isometrics. A few classes in their Beatty Street studio will have you discovering muscles you didn’t know you had.
• Try a running clinic! With the Sun Run coming up on April 15th, now’s a great time to join a structured running class. Getting exercise with a group is a great way to stay motivated – Denman Street’s Running Room has a 10k training program that starts on February 8th.
• En garde! For something completely different, head to Academie Duello on West Hastings Street and learn the ways of swordcraft. Try a free lesson and see if you can’t work out some frustration, sword in hand.

Get Inspired, Try Something New

In a rut? The best way to get inspired is to learn something new, or try something you’ve never done before. These are some resolutions you’ll actually enjoy keeping.

• Maybe you always dreamed of being a ballet dancer, or maybe hip-hop is more your style. Harbour Dance on Granville Street offers adult classes at all levels in ballet, jazz, Bollywood, hip-hop and belly dancing, among others. Except for tap dance classes, no special equipment is necessary, and with most classes open to drop-in, you can get your So you Think you can Dance on without having to make a big commitment.
• Dreaming of travel, but life gets in the way? Have a little taste of adventure by taking a language class. UBC Continuing Studies at Robson Square offers introductory classes in French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin and Spanish.
• Bring out your inner Iron Chef with cooking classes at Dirty Apron on Beatty Street. Try French, Italian, or Japanese cooking, and learn basic knife skills. Or book a babysitter and head out for date night at one of their “It Takes Two” classes for couples.

Do Unto Others

Doing good feels good; as you help others, you help yourself. Why not make some resolutions to change your world for the better? Here are some Downtown Vancouver registered charities that can use your support year-round.

• The YWCA’s Crabtree Corner Family Resource Centre in the Downtown East Side provides services for women and children, including transitional housing, hot meal programs, and early childhood literacy. They’re always accepting donations of new toiletries, baby items, school supplies, and children’s wear, or you can make a financial donation online.
• Covenant House supports homeless teens in Downtown Vancouver with emergency shelter as well as counseling and basic life skills education. They are always looking for donations of new and used items, including non-perishable food, toiletries, and clothing, which can be dropped off at their location at the corner of Drake Street and Seymour Street.
• Intrepid Pens, a reading and writing society in the Downtown East Side, taps into the power of storytelling to bring about healing for women. They gratefully accept donations of books, writing supplies like notebooks and pens, bus passes, and tickets to local arts and culture events.

There you have it – what to do in Vancouver this January to move your body, feed your spirit, and offer much needed support your downtown community, as you make your New Year’s resolutions.

What about you – what New Year’s resolutions are you making this year?

Photo credit: little blue hen on Flickr