Healthy and protected eyes may be our focus, but we care about all the body parts. One of the best ways to achieve a healthy lifestyle is to be physically active. Fitness comes in the form of many activities and we are celebrating some local friends who make it their mission to work it out. Various activities require eyewear to be functional. We love when eyewear is fashionable. But guess what? You can have your power bowl and eat it too!
Allow me to introduce you to these inspiring humans and show you how they work it out…
Jen enjoys cycling because it gives her an opportunity to be active outdoors. After a long day at work, jumping on her bicycle and hitting a trail is the perfect way to unwind. When Jen started cycling, it was something she usually did by herself, but in recent years, she has created her own little biking squad. Having cycling friends of various skill levels has pushed her to be a little bit harder, faster, stronger. As a bonus, Jen considers commuting to work by the power of her thighs a great way to reduce carbon emissions!
Monica loves movement that communicates in the body and nervous system while holding space to care for emotion. Her teaching has shifted into a practice of mindful meditation and nourishing movement for the soft tissues of the body; the actions she shares are ones that folks can utilize off their mats and check-in with throughout their day. Monica wants movement education to be fun and informed, creative and strong and adaptable to suit the needs and goals of anyone who steps on the mat.
Fitness is an integral part of who Rachael has become. She enjoys pushing her body to its limits, testing both her physical and mental fortitude. Rachael is constantly amazed at what she can achieve during her CrossFit classes; her personal goals are oh so close! CrossFit has improved her overall health, well being and confidence. She looks forward to turning weaknesses into strengths – long live the barbell!
Manuela has been in the fitness industry since 2002 (trained as a Personal Trainer, Pilates Instructor, Exercise Coach and Holistic Lifestyle Coach) and, as a movement person, considers ELDOA to be one of the best tools in her kit. She loves that this practice has quickly taken so many of her clients out of pain and discomfort. The poses look so easy but are very complex and quite challenging to hold. Manuela also loves being able to give her clients something that they can use on their own and ELDOA is all about that. The founder of ELDOA, Guy Voyer, says, “You are your own best therapist” and Manuela agrees; ELDOA gives people the autonomy to help themselves.
Lo loves teaching barre classes not only because they’re a bomb ass workout, but because they build discipline, mental strength, focus and determination. Seeing her students become empowered through the practice of barre is pure motivation for her as a teacher. One has to become vulnerable when performing a new activity; from that vulnerability new achievements and personal goals can grow. When Lo sees her students leave class feeling accomplished and focused, it’s the best feeling ever.
Chainsaw, a vegan mother of three, occasionally needs to blow off a little steam. She does this by suiting up and hitting a lot of girls – competitively on the roller derby track, of course! Chainsaw finds this sport to be very empowering and a reinforcement of the strength that she has cultivated and believes can be found in every woman.
As an inspirational speaker, Talli believes that if you truly want something, you can achieve it. The challenge to stay physically active is real and finding the right method for our personal fitness routine is important. Some sports have the tendency to do more harm to the body than good and so Talli went hunting to find out which activity was right for her. She fell in love with hula hooping because it is something that is not only super fun, but also meditative at times. When’s she’s hooping, Talli feels strong and in shape. And, if you’re going to work out, it might as well be fun, right!?
Hendrik enjoys cross country running both for the physical and mental health benefits. Running outdoors allows him to clear his head, relax and settle into a calm state of mind. All the visible green also does wonders for one’s mental health – we should all be looking at as much green as our eyes can get. These days, Hendrik is usually incorporating the activity of running into a triathlon because why not add swimming and cycling too!
Edwin wasn’t active at all until being convinced to join friends for a try-a-tri(athlon). He discovered a natural talent and has been exploring that untapped potential ever since. Getting better at swimming has been a long, slow, but steady process. He started by barely being able to swim a few hundred meters and now he swims across lakes and competes in Ironman races. If you never begin, you’ll never know where you can go!
Neil Moser, Creative Director and Project Manager
Troy Dettwiler, Photographer and Website Designer
