Matters of Movement

SHOW NOTES ON THEIR WAY Contact Micki: Instagram Matters of Movement Studio

Cindy is the owner/creator of My Fit Over 50, a website dedicated to the health of women going into menopause and beyond. After enjoying a great professional dance career (working all over the world including Stratford Festival), Cindy reinvented herself becoming a certified Pilates instructor, acupuncturist and holistic nutritionist. Now she uses her over 10 years of clinical experience and passion to help other women embrace the changes that happen as we age offering up an opportunity to become our best self. She believes that it's important to keep challenging the body safely and efficiently and lives by that rule by getting her black belt in Kung Fu at the age of 50. Cindy also has a busy acupuncture and Pilates business in Toronto. The Importance of Self-Care During the podcast, Cindy speaks passionately about the importance of self-care and being the best advocate for your health. She empowers women to ask questions and have conversations about the changes that happen to their body going into peri-menopause and beyond it. She wants women to know that there are ways to help support the body as their hormones fluctuate, and often this can help make those uncomfortable symptoms of menopause easier to manage. Menopause is natural and should be the next part of a life well lived. What is peri-menopause? Cindy explains that you can actually be peri-menopausal for about 10 years. During this time your progesterone and estrogen are not in balance anymore. That brings on certain physiological symptoms like: night sweats, the inability to get a good night's sleep, and of course your period changes. It's a time to be reflective on the fact that things are shifting and changing, and that you need to be a little mindful about what that next part of the journey will look like. Self-education is a good tool! It is important to have conversations about how you are going to support yourself now that your estrogen is starting to drop, because estrogen is the fuel and the goodness that helps support your brain and your bones? When you stop producing estrogen, it is going to affect your bones. So what you may want to do is talk to your doctor about hormones that are going to help supplement the estrogen loss. What can we do to support our health going into menopause? Taking care of yourself is one of the most important things when approach peri-menopause into menopause. Your bones become your bank account, so if you deposit into your bank account before you are 20 years old, you are going to be able to withdraw from that bank account and be okay, but if you don't deposit into your bank account, then you are going to be in some trouble. We need to be more mindful now about how we move, how we approach fitness and exercise when we are in that peri-menopausal and menopausal state because depleting ourselves is not a good idea. Be mindful, mindful of your eating, mindful of your sleep, and mindful of your exercise. Cindy explains that those are the three key things to focus on. They call it the Second Spring It is a woman's second puberty, and it can be a really exciting time. It is good to have that guidance to just let you know that it's okay. When you have those maybe not so good days that it's okay. When you just can't kill it on your workout today, it's okay; at least you got that workout in. Right! That's good. It is just about having that little bit of education around, what your body needs now that it's changing and shifting? Contact Cindy https://myfitover50.ca/

Eva is a person who lives her passion with her husband, their Icelandic horses, their three dogs and one cat in a small village in the North of Netherlands. As a physiotherapist and instructor she has always been looking for some way to put feeling (during riding) into words, and to also to educate people about how their bodies work. Through the training of the Franklin Method Equestrian she has received new, very applicable insights and information. In recent years she has done various courses on sports psychology, which provides a nice total package to guide riders and horses. Physiotherapist for both Horses and Humans Eva explains that is about looking at both the biomechanics of the horse and the rider to see if the goal of the rider is fair for the horse as well, because when you look at the biomechanics of some horses, like in Belgium, they've got really massive horses and they won't be show jumpers. You have to also talk to the rider, help them understand the architecture of their horse and the horse's capabilities. The Franklin Method With practice of the Franklin Method, equestrians become more aware of not only their own movement, but also the movement of their horse. Consequently, the connection between horse and rider becomes more clear and precise. For Eva, Eric Franklin has taught her how to use her body, and what she really likes is the way he also uses metaphors and imagery. It has become the way that she works with riders. The Art of Letting Go Christine and Eva get into more detail about the relationship between the rider and the horse. Eva shares that the pelvis is probably the biggest factor when it comes to that relationship. The pelvis is the main body part where we communicate because we sit on it, and the pelvic floor is such a big muscle. Eva readily speaks to her riders about the Art of Letting Go. “I think we are hanging on to quite a lot of things, both physically and mentally. I have moments that I'm hanging onto things, or and clinging on to things and I want to grab it and I want to hold it. Then I thought, ``Well, what does it bring? '' I only can change it when I notice, and what I don't notice, I can't change.” Establishing good Movement with your Horse It is important to have a good mind-set around movement with the horses, as it can really impact the quality of movement with your horse. Eva explains that being in the present is one of the most valuable, and needed skills while you're working with animals, especially when you're working with horses. They really mirror what we do, because it's also their nature. “When my heartbeat is high, I need to use my mental capacity to lower my heartbeat. I need to first notice that my heartbeat is high, and then I need to train myself what kind of tricks I have, or what kind of capacity I have to lower my heartbeat down. The check in is really, really important.” Teaching People how to Check-in When Eva works with her riders, she has them check in with themselves. “I just asked them: what does it feel like? Where do you feel something? I actually try to do it every time we change a gait. So when we go from walk to trot, I often ask them as well. Do a check in to notice your body. Notice what feels good. Notice what doesn't feel as flexible as you would like to have it? Give me feedback when you notice something.” Listeners can find Eva on Instagram.

Helen is originally from Perthshire in Scotland, and lives on the northwest coast of Tasmania. Helen has her nursery nursing qualification and as a qualified childcare educator Helen has spent many year looking after babies, toddlers and children. In 2010, she discovered the wonderful world of baby massage. She became an instructor and delights in helping parents enhance their confidence while forging a closer bond with their baby. Helen started hosting her First Time Mum's Chat podcast in January 2021, where she is able to connect with parents on a weekly basis. Understanding the Power of Touch There is a lot of research on baby massage, and how it helps with mothers who find it hard to touch your babies. Massage helps them learn how to communicate with their child, and it has also been researched that skin-to-skin with a baby is very important. Helen shares that it's mainly about touching and respecting your baby and giving your baby that respect. It helps with a lot of different things including: colic, constipation, and sleep. Touch has many health benefits, as well as a lot of emotional benefits. It helps promote relaxation for the mom and for the baby, as well as encourages: development, communication and bonding. The Timing of the Massage is Critical Helen shares with Kristina and the listeners the concept of quiet alert state. The quiet alert state is when your baby is just beginning to wake up. They are just waking up and they're just getting active for the day. They are communicating with you and they're engaging with you. This is a great time to actually do massage, because they are very assertive at that time and they can tell you what they like and what they don't like. Another good time is before bed, because it helps with sleep, and you can engage by talking to them, which helps them to move as well. Developing your Baby's Body Awareness and Coordination When massaging, Helen explains that it is best to start with the baby's head, and to go all the way down to the toes. You are giving them that body awareness and allowing them to see how long they are. When you go from the spine out to their arms, this allows them to see how wide they are. While you are massaging, you increase awareness by speaking to them, “I'm massaging your left leg at the moment, and I'm just going to touch your toes.” Finding Different ways to Communicate with your Children If you communicate with your child, and if they can't communicate, there are things that a parent can do. Drawing is a great way for them to express themselves; as they are drawing, you can say, “Well, why don't you draw what you're wanting to tell me?” You can also incorporate movement like jumping up and down and have them act out what they are trying to tell you. With teenagers it is a little different; with them, sometimes you just got to let them know that you are there for them. Be supportive of them and give them the respect to regulate and process their feelings. Tummy Massages are Great for Everyone Helen shares the amazing results you get, if you just gently sort of talk to your body and tell your body what's happening. You can do this while giving yourself a tummy massage. Massage works the same way in adults as they do in babies; massage in a clockwise direction, which is the way the bowel moves. When doing this you are releasing what is trapped there, and you are pushing all the waste out. Parents that needs a little support on their parenting journey can visit Helen at her website My Baby Massage. Contact Helen Website Free Resource

Kelsie Bentley is a self-care and mind-set coach helping people-pleasing women reclaim their time. She got her start coaching women from behind the chair as a hairstylist, and dove deep into the work of self-care after going through her own experience with burnout. Her written work can be found on sites such as; Mama Minimalist, The Hive, and Morning Laziness, and she has been featured on several podcasts including: Healing Unscripted, We're Not Kidding, and All Things Relax. Kelsey has flipped the script on self-care. There are a lot of rigid self-care programs out there that have tried to prescribe to people how it should look. Kelsie is not about that at all, instead she finds ways to help people fit it into their schedules so that they are able to live successful, and purposeful lives. A look at toxic positivity Christina and Kelsie discuss the fact that many of us choose not to acknowledge the problems, we try to positive mind-set our way through them. Mind-set is a huge, huge thing, and it's definitely something we have to work on, but we also have to be able to feel, experience and process our feelings. It is about taking the time to just really dive into how you feel, feel those feelings and try to work through them. This is so essential. You have to take that time and really think, “Am I allowing myself to just wallow in something, or do I need to experience this and move through it?” How to Start Setting Healthy Boundaries Kelsie shares that the best way to start setting boundaries is to identify if you are the type of person who tends to be of service to others all the time. This can happen when you own any kind of business; there is a certain element of being of service to others. She explains the importance of separation; a time when you can be yourself and who you are, and not have to constantly be of service. The first step is recognizing those things that are wearing you out and that are draining your energy. Then you have to figure out how to set the boundaries. Kelsie suggests starting with those relationships, or situations that are not so close to you. These relationships are not as emotionally charged, so it makes it easier. It's really important to be able to just recognize when you need that extra little bit of care. We spend so much time taking care of everybody else's needs. The Spark Method You can start setting yourself up for success by doing fewer things, and finding ways to make the things that you have to do easier. Time management is prescriptive. Time management doesn't care about your energy levels, your season of life, or your interests. You have to take a look at you, your struggles, where you're at, and where you want to go. Creating a space for yourself It is important to understand that other people benefit from us caring for ourselves. It is allowing yourself to unpack and take up space in your own life. It is something that is incredibly important to learn. It can be challenging, because it's a point of growth. We have to be able to allow ourselves to grow and go through the discomfort. You will be pleased with the ease that will come from it. CONTACT US Kelsie: Instagram Christina: Online Studio

Janette Yee is a Perinatal Therapist with a background in Athletic Therapy and Massage Therapy. She works with athletic birth parents that share her belief, “Confidence and strength in your body during pregnancy and after childbirth is a RIGHT, not a privilege.” In response to suboptimal public perinatal healthcare, Janette created the Proactive Moms Method - a simple 13-exercise prenatal/postpartum program. Using this method, birth parents learn to stay active during pregnancy and return to pain-free sports after childbirth. Janette is best known for her two ground-breaking online Caesarean recovery programs. In them, moms learn the essential skills of scar massage and exercise to optimize recovery. These courses focus on the psychology of healing, painful sex, preventing the "C-section shelf", and safe return to sport. One is designed for all moms, the other, for athletes. Janette fills her days with mandatory playtime with her kids aged 3 and 6, while training for her return to competitive running. Her 15-year rugby career was recently recognized with a team induction into the Rugby Ontario Hall of Fame. The most Hard Core Athlete is a Mother Janette shares with Christina the work that she does with rugby athletes, and some of the injuries that she has endured in her 15 years of playing rugby. She reflects on her experiences of major injuries and concludes that nothing compares to being humbled by childbirth, both physically and mentally. In Janette's own words, “The hardest-core athlete is a mother, and the biggest injury is childbirth.” Expectations of Postpartum Healing Janette explains that most athletes push their bodies as hard as they can; that's what athleticism means. When you're pregnant, and certainly after a mother gives birth, that's just not possible. That can be a huge blow to an athlete's identity, to their ego. Janette explains that childbirth is a season-ending injury, and during this time off, you can make a plan; what do I need to do? There's that sense of empowerment, and it helps you see the light at the end of the tunnel. Mature Athlete versus an Immature Athlete Janette uses the word immature, but not as a term of judgment. The mature athlete learns to trust their body because the brain is really stubborn. The immature athlete is going to do silly things, not trust their bodies. It is wise to draw from your past experience of major sports injuries that you have gone through, in a certain respect, you will be wiser in making choices for your body. Caesarean is a very Interesting sort of Injury The surgery itself involves three main incisions, and many people don't appreciate that because they only see the singular external incision, but it's three incisions. Janette discusses scar tissue and the fact that it is a body's incredible super glue that holds all these incisions closed. Scar tissue is needed, especially for the first six weeks, so she instructs listeners not to bother it. The scar tissue is powerful, powerful glue that your body makes. Now that you know, pay it Forward Janette implores listeners to share information. Talk about it to anyone who will listen. You can make a difference every single day. That's how public health care is going to change. We all have a voice, and all of us can use it. Sharing information can make a difference in somebody's quality of life. All of us have that power. Contact Us: Janette: Instagram | Website Matters of Movement Studio

Renae Fieck is a mother of three, an occupational therapist, host of Rising Mom's Podcast, and even with such a full plate, she still has time to help women optimize their time and energy by unlocking the power of their menstrual cycles. With her method, women are better able to balance the demands of life, create more of an impact, and get bigger results without adding more stress or needing more time. THE STIGMA & SHAME AROUND WOMEN'S CYCLES Christina and Renae discuss the history of stigma and shame associated with women's menstrual cycles. Women make efforts to keep it a secret, and for many, it feels like a burden that they have to carry every month. The idea was introduced of women finding balance by sinking up their lives with their cycle. A Woman's Cycle impacts her Mood, Energy and Creativity Women have two main hormones that are crucial to this cycle: estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen is characterized by: higher energy, higher focus, and mental clarity. This usually occurs in the first half of the month. Progesterone, which comes at the end of the month helps make space for a baby. What it does is tell the body to retreat, and to rest. THE FOUR PHASES OF THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE Recharge Phase In this phase, women are menstruating, and it is the time that they should be slowing down and recharging. This phase sets you up for your accelerate phase. Accelerate Phase In this phase, women feel really good. It is characterized by tons of motivation, momentum. It is a great time to take on big projects. Observation Peak Time This is when a woman is most magnetic. They will glow, appear more radiant, and are more affective at communicating during this time. The body is saying, “I'm fertile, I'm ready to make a baby.” Reflect Phase The reflect phase is when a woman can be super creative. Statements like “Let's clean house,” or “Let's focus in,” characterize this phase, and then they enter the recharge phase. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MOVEMENT AND THE CYCLE At the beginning of the month, women are going to have a lot of that energy for more intense movements like running, and heavy weightlifting. At the end of the month, when progesterone is more dominant, movements are mellow: walks or yoga or things that are low impact. WOMEN WOMEN CAN EMBRACE THEIR CYCLES Renae speaks about her dream of transforming the way corporate America is run. Her vision is that hopefully someday, massive female-run companies will allow women to take off three, or four days when they are cycling. Until then, she encourages women to learn their cycle, know their peaks and valleys, really become aware of how their bodies perform in the day. It can be drastically helpful, and subtle micro shifts align the body. It all starts with awareness. TUNING INTO YOUR CYCLE Renae explains how she has tuned into her rhythm, and how knowing her natural rhythm has created hormonal and chemical changes on a very deep body level. Even for women that are post-menopausal or, have had a hysterectomy, they can use the moon's 28-day cycle. It is very similar to what women's menstrual cycles typically are. The moon can be used as an outward cue of where in the cycle you might be. CONTACT US Renea Fieck Instagram Matters of Movement Online Studio

Join Christina and her extraordinary guest Abha Sharma as they discuss her personal journey into the world of movement. Abha is a Health and Wellness Coach for Professional Working Moms. Her passion is helping working moms glow up utilizing hormone health, and living a holistic lifestyle. She is a Paediatrician, Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and the host of The Health Has No Finish Line Podcast. This weekly podcast dives into subjects concerning: body image, emotional eating, mind-set, and healthier living. Learning what you are capable of Before sharing her story, Abha empathetically speaks to parents, especially mothers about the struggle that comes with parenting, and how sometimes they neglect to see their own abilities and strengths. She reminds listeners that they are capable of doing great things, whether it is taking care of their health, or even making time for themselves. Sharing when you're on the other side of the rainbow Both of Abha's parents emigrated from India, and she describes the pressure that comes with being a child with immigrant parents, where there s a need to work really hard, especially when it comes to your academics. Knowing that your parents or grandparents immigrated for better educational opportunities. Her mother cooked a variety of foods, with some being very carb heavy, so when she was younger, Abha dealt with fluctuating weight issues. By the time she was nine or 10 she got teased, and this continued through most of her childhood and teen years. She also wore a back brace for scoliosis, which excerbated things. “Okay, I can try this!” Steps towards Healing As she got older, Abha began to take charge of her life in a definitive way. She began to read health magazines, ripping recipes and workout tips from them that she could utilize in her day to day. She would go to Marshalls and find indoor workout VHS and DVD's. It became fun for her, and she felt comfortable working out this way because she didn't have to worry about anybody judging her. She was still triggered by what she had experienced on the playground when she was younger. Even the small change can make a big difference Abha was able to maintain her healthy in Detroit during her pediatric residency. Despite the long hours, Abha was able to balance her diet by making better food choices. Instead of Lean Cuisine with all the artificial preservatives, she traded those meals in for Trader Joe's bowl that had more whole ingredients and fewer preservatives. What 10,000 steps will really get you! Abha began to learn more about the benefits of walking and she learned that 10,000 steps was a marketing strategy that originated from Japan. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that at 4400 steps per day, women had significantly lower mortality rates compared to least active women. If they did more, their mortality rates continued to drop until they reached about 7500 steps, at which point the rates levelled out. Changing the language around food Abha and her husband have made considerable efforts to change the language around food in their home. She is careful about using the words “Good food, or bad food,” around her daughter. If she is making non-restrictive changes in what she eats, she will just do it, but not explain it, especially when her daughter is around. She demonstrates balance by eating what she wants in moderation. CONTACT US Abha Sharma Instagram Matters of Movement Online Studio

Join Christina and Chernell as they talk about the ins and outs of massage therapy. The common reason people end up at the massage therapist is chronic pain in back and neck especially when they sit for prolonged periods of time. The problems caused by this are disc herniations and compression of the nerves, which causes muscle imbalances, tightness. The body doesn't get stimulated enough which can lead to weakness and pain. They discuss office culture and what companies can do to positively impact employee wellness. Massage therapists can help work on tight muscles, but also give homecare to help extend the practice beyond the table. Movement and Massage They are one in the same. Massage is movement of the tissues. The circulation, fluid, oxygen and nutrients get moved around also. When you get up to stand your muscles are contracting and fluids are moving through the body. For example, if you want to give your lungs a little mini massage, you can take a deep breath and expand your lungs and open up your chest. Both active and sedentary people benefit from massage. More active people can use massage to help with tight muscles, increase flexibility and prevent injury. Sedentary people benefit by relieving aches and pains and improving circulation and swelling. Types of Massage Therapy There are many types of massage and include: Swedish, aromatherapy that introduces oils and scents which is highly effective for anything going on mind body, shiatsu, which is more deeply pointed pressure on trigger points. Hot stone, Fascial Release, this is when you release the fascia and help break down scar tissue. Then there is Thai massage that involves more stretching. What is an RMT? Registered Massage Therapist is a person trained in massage and who is governed by a regulatory body. RMTs have standards, a scope of practice, and require a health history to determine contraindicates to treatment. Massage and Emotions Massage is an excellent way to release and move energy like grief and stress through the body.. We have to take into consideration, whether you will let it build up to the point where it starts to start conditions, pain and disease, or you find a way to release and let it out. There is a connection in your body to the emotions that you are experiencing. Emotions are like chemical reactions. Whether you are acutely aware of it or not, emotions will cause a reaction in your body. Stress, cortisol, your nervous system, and your hormones are all intertwined. Massage and Mental Health Mental health challenges can be obstacles to getting up to move. Massage can be a catalyst to moving. If you can't get up to move, or you don't know how to start or where to start, sometimes a massage, just getting the blood pumping and muscles moving is a great place to start. Massage can start the circulation, blood flow and will start to relax the nervous system, which is going to allow improved digestion and gut health. There is research to show that when the muscles are contracting they function like their own endocrine system and they trigger the release of myokines which are like antidepressants. The Importance of Touch sdlIsolation is detrimental. Human beings are meant to live in community with one another working together. As adults, we forget that even as we age, we still need that physical touching connection, we need that to survive and thrive. Contact Chernell Instagram Web Contact Christina Studio

Show notes to come Reach out to Arin: Instagram

Join Christina and her special guest Martin Reid as they chat about how men are beginning to embrace Pilates as a way to get into shape, build strength and improve flexibility. Introduction to the Reid Method Martin takes some time to explain his signature Reid Method, and how his style of teaching differentiates him from other Pilate's teachers. Interestingly, everyone has their own style, and even if two Pilate's teachers took the same course, and graduated at the same time, they would still have different ways of teaching their classes. Martin's social work background allows him to communicate empathetically, and authentically with his clients. As he has evolved in the industry, he has learned how to marry techniques picked up from different schools of thought and implement them into his work. He feels that he is always learning, whether it is on the relationship side of the business, or the biomechanical side; this is what makes his work so impactful; there is always room for growth. Pilates is for everyone Although Pilates has traditionally been associated with women's fitness, Martin is excited that more and more men are realizing the power of Pilates. Men tend to get caught up in being weekend warriors, playing sports, and for some, it is hard to put their ego's aside to do something that does not involve weights, or other workouts that they have been doing for the last 40 years. What they soon discover is that while doing Pilates, they learn exactly what their bodies are capable of. They are touching their toes for the first time. They are finding mobility that they never had before, and they are getting stronger. Martin feels strongly about the benefit of Pilates for men; it helps their bodies recover from the yearly wear and tear. During the discussion, he shares stories about fathers coming to classes with their children, which he finds simply amazing. He see's it as a great way for these dads to bond with their kids. Real Men do Pilates What is a real man? What does being a real man even mean? This is something that Martin and his colleagues have been unpacking for years. His goal has been to topple the stigma that Pilates is just for women. Martin highlights the fact that athletes like: LeBron James, Chris Carter, and the late Kobe Bryant all have done Pilates because they wanted to be ahead of the curve. Now, even more pro athletes and former pro athletes are trying Pilates, many stating that they wished they had started doing it much earlier. He shares that sentiment, noting that when he got injured, maybe if he had tried Pilates, he would have healed better, and maybe his performance would have been better. The Core Conversations Podcast Concept Like many other fitness experts, when the pandemic hit, Martin had to pivot and find a way to not only stay relevant, but to establish a unique niche in the disrupted industry. One day while talking with his wife, an idea came to him; at 10:00 am everyday, he would do an Instagram Live, and invite industry professionals to come on, and just talk about what they are doing. He has now interviewed about 400 guests since the podcast began last year. The Power of Effective Communication Communication is the cornerstone of Martin's work, and although he admits that he does not have perfect communication skills, his training has taught him how to be empathetic. REACH OUT Martin: Instagram Website Christina: Online Studio

Welcome back for season two! Join Christina and Nikki as they chat about the importance of exercise for wheelchair users, and the benefits it has for the mind, body, and soul. Nikki Walsh is a Certified Personal Trainer and owner of Waikiki Nikki Fitness. She studied at Penn State University and was certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Nikki started her career as a personal trainer, and then tragically, she was involved in a car accident, which paralyzed her from her chest down. About a year after her injury, she was on vacation, and went to a gym with her sister. She describes it as the weirdest feeling, because she was a personal trainer and had lived in the gym before the accident; now it just felt different being in her body, in a situation that should have been normal for her. It was a wake up call, and she decided at that moment that she would return to doing what she loved; she was going to help people who had similar challenges get moving again. She works with wheelchair users to help them increase their strength, assist in their weight loss, and create healthier habits for a healthy lifestyle. Nikki trains her clients online, and is currently working on expanding her business and becoming certified in Nutrition. The importance of exercise for wheelchair users Nikki explains that movement is so important, because when you are in a wheelchair, your metabolism changes, so you have that weight gain that comes with lack of movement, especially if you are eating the same way. If you have that extra weight and you are not strong, transfers (getting in and out of bed, getting into the shower) are difficult. Your joints are not as strong, and if you have not strengthened your back, shoulders, or core, it can lead to injuries. She discusses the importance of working out even when you don't feel like it, how working out releases endorphins that are released, which in turn make you happier. How personal training has changed for Nikki She explains how her workouts have changed significantly, and in learning how to train her body, she has become more equipped at helping her clients train. The concepts she focuses on getting across to her clients is: practicing good eating habits, focusing on breathing when exercising, engaging their muscles during your workout, and practicing proper form. No one wants a personal trainer who is boring, so Nikki jokes about how she keeps it light by being goofy, and corny. The importance of Nutrition Nikki's work with her nutritionist, Fatima from Paralysis Nutritionist, educated her on the fact that the paralysis body needs to eat a certain way. They don't need the same amount of protein because their muscles don't need to be rebuilt like someone who is not in a wheelchair. Too much protein can cause constipation, and eating too much can overload the kidneys. She realized that getting her nutrition certification would allow her to take her clients to the next level, by empowering them with proper, researched nutrition advice. The importance of Mind-set In reflection, for Nikki it goes back to the decision she made in the hospital bed after her accident; are you going to push through, she asked herself, or are you going to fall back? She works with her clients on their mind-set by addressing their feeling, and thoughts, as well as encouraging them with her own story. She summed it up in one of her most recent social media posts, a quote by R.M. Drake. CONTACT US Nikki Facebook Instagram Christina Online Studio

Join Christina and Allison as they chat about opening a studio and how to make the Pilates environment inclusive of larger bodies. Alison shares her experience living in and doing and teaching Pilates. She began teaching out of a need to learn how to move better for herself, because she was struggling in group classes. As a new teacher, she experienced bias for being in a larger body and she frequently would get once overs when she met new clients. Later she began doing equipment maintenance at one of the studios and became proficient in machine safety and the ins and outs of the Pilates equipment. Allison is an advocate for fair and equitable pay for Pilates teachers, after having experienced unfair treatment herself. She describes how some teacher's pay structures are set-up and how such structures penalize the teachers who teach at unpopular times. Opening a Pilates Studio After having subpar experiences working at other studios Allison, has decided to open her own space. The thought of opening a studio and working for herself gave her comfort. There are weight limits on the equipment and this impacts people's movement experience. She is making special considerations to ensure that her space is comfortable for all people. This includes knowing weight limits for all the furniture in the studio as well as making sure that this furniture can make someone's life easier when it comes to removing shoes etc.... Other considerations she included were natural light, main floor access or elevator, a restroom. Teacher Training All teacher training programs seem to ignore larger sized bodies and how to teach effectively. Despite Pilates allowing Allison to connect so deeply with her, she saw a gap in her learning. She quickly saw the issues when she had larger bodies on the reformer and they didn't fit. So she had to change spring weights to accommodate her clients. She began doing the research to run a workshop called Making Pilates Accessible for Larger Bodies and she took a sociocultural perspective. Allison shares about the challenges of running a workshop and the growing pains. She did eventually run it and will be doing it again when her studio is up and running, with friends in larger bodies so that she can show different things. Allison shares how some cueing is ineffective for larger bodies. Negative space is the idea that the low back will be lifted away from the floor, so eliminating that all together. Change the motivation, so eliminate the idea of the ‘summer body', which is not accessible for everyone. Fat bodies are not a monolith, which means that all fat bodies are different and should be treated as such. Larger breasted women and smaller breasted women have different needs. Many people are not proportional. REACH OUT TO ALLISON IG: www.instagram.com/allison_skewes REACH OUT TO CHRISTINA www.instagram.com/mattersofmovement www.facebook.com/mattersofmovement christina@mattersofmovement.com www.mattersofmovement.com ONLINE STUDIO www.mattersofmovement.com/membership

Join Christina and Robin for an amazing discussion. Body politics Robin described how being in a racialized body comes with the baggage of trauma inherited or accumulated over time and how it impacts how she feels in spaces, in life and interactions with other people. Being in Yoga studios and hearing spiritual bypassing rhetoric like “good vibes only” and instead of being uplifted and strengthened by it, it was starting to drain Robin. She felt more fragmented and without ease. A comment from Christina, when you can't show up as your whole self due to fear or oppression, you manufacture a version of yourself that is acceptable. You can see how a person can become fragmented. We can't separate people from politics. It is how systems of oppression maintained their power by categorizing bodies in certain ways and judging bodies in certain ways. How society sees my body is out of my control. We need to understand that white people, brown people, black people, indigenous people, queer people, disabled people all have unique experiences. Access to resources and access to belonging differ greatly and that is political. Actively empower and equip more folks in marginalized bodies to be in leadership roles. It is important to decenter whiteness so more people can see themselves in their leaders. Robin worked at many different studios and had not had any POC teachers. She started to embark on a journey to open her own studio but doubted herself along the way and kept wanting to turn to established white ‘experts' but found she was doing this because there was no one who looked like her to model this for her. She didn't think it was ok for her to occupy those roles. Why are there no people in these roles? When you look at the Fitness Industrial Complex it is inaccessibly priced, there are no images of people of colour in marketing which acts as gatekeeping and in a way a barrier to access. It signals that POC don't belong there. Centering Trauma One of the uniting threads for human beings is trauma. If you haven't experienced a lot of trauma, that is a sign of your privilege. If we make space for the most vulnerable, then everybody wins. Trauma lives in your body and when you move your body, we had better be prepared to support a person who has been triggered by something in our class. It is negligent to be unaware of trauma. Have to be able to hold space for triggered emotions. Give people back to their power and learn to listen to your body. Social Change People see movement professional than than any other professional. We have the microphone. We get to tell them what to pay attention to and what to feel. Our sphere of influence is large and rich. You can do hard things, now go do hard things that contribute to collective liberation. Set up your response or sequence of actions for when you mess up in this area. Building a Studio for All It is not easy. Being a POC Robin still struggled to get a diverse crowd in her classes. The work has to come from the inside. When you invite a friend over, you ask about allergies, you make the house presentable. Trying to diversify in a hurry, people may not have done everything they should do. Get a roundtable with people who have different experiences. The research has to be done first. It is a slow process and the learning does not stop. REACH OUT TO ROBIN www.instagram.com/royolaroyola www.instagram.com/goodbodyfeel www.goodbodyfeel.com REACH OUT TO CHRISTINA www.instagram.com/mattersofmovement www.facebook.com/mattersofmovement christina@mattersofmovement.com www.mattersofmovement.com ONLINE STUDIO www.mattersofmovement.com/membership

Debbie started her young life as an athlete and reached national level in fast pitch baseball and volleyball. Debbie went on to serve 28 years in the military and since become a civilian officer. During her service she received a commendation and coin for service over and above her expected duties by a Chief Commander. She also received 1988 athlete of the year by PM Brian Mulroney. Debbie shares about her deployments to Egypt, Bosnia and Haiti and what it was like to prepare for and experience these deployments. We dive into the physical, emotional and spiritual preparations at that time and how they differ for the military personnel today. Spending months at a time in war-torn countries on peace keeping missions inevitably leads to seeing and doing things that could be defined as difficult. In Bosnia, there was a great deal of ethnic cleansing that took place, which laid heavily on Debbie's heart. Debbie shares about how she has developed mental health challenges as a result of her work in the military. She suffers from generalized anxiety and complex PTSD. With the support of her therapist and loving wife, she is getting the support that she needs to get by. Being an athlete in her younger years prepared Debbie for the physical demands of being in the military, which included doing physical training on a daily basis. As the troupe prepared to go overseas, the physical expectations were significantly increased, where the soldiers were expected to be able to run for 13kms with full equipment. Debbie has had several injuries from her days as an athlete and in the military that has resulted in her needing hip replacement surgery. We learn about her recovery and the challenges she has faced transitioning out of a physical career, into a sedentary lifestyle. She still turns to movement, but in a way that is very different than before. She visits physiotherapists, chiropractors and massage therapists frequently to be able to maintain her physical health. She mourns the loss of the movement, but has found other ways to give meaning to her life as is a proud member of the Order of the Eastern Star where she contributes to fundraising in her community. Debbie has been looking to contribute to the ‘Serving with Pride' organization, which aims to make a difference for the LGTBQ2S+ community who serve in the military and police. REACH OUT TO DEBBIE https://www.facebook.com/debbie.wiken REACH OUT TO CHRISTINA www.instagram.com/mattersofmovement www.facebook.com/mattersofmovement christina@mattersofmovement.com www.mattersofmovement.com ONLINE STUDIO www.mattersofmovement.com/membership

Sarah works as a mental performance consultant with athletes at all levels. The majority of her practice is on body image and disordered eating. Athletes can face quite a lot of barriers to seeking help for their mental health. . HOW DISORDERED EATING MANIFESTS IN SPORT We talk about the normalization of disordered eating in athletes. With many athletes it can look like a preoccupation with food that causes stress and impacts social relationships. It is not just a question of body size. STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE DISORDERED It is mostly an individual approach. One of the first things that Sarah does is have the individual connect to their body as there is often a disconnection between the body's cues and how the athlete responds to them. This can happen because of the ‘push harder' culture in the world of sport. HOW RESTRICTED EATING IS LINKED TO PSYCHOLOGY & HORMONES Restricted eating can lead to overcompensation (bingeing and overeating), it can be physiologically and emotionally difficult. Hormones will signal to the body that it wants food. For example, you might have a piece of cake and eat way more than you need to because your body is so dissociated from what it really needs. If we were in tune with our bodies and what it needs, we would eat far less. TRAUMA, RELATIONSHIPS AND FOOD In terms of trauma, people who have had experience with difficult situations can often feel out of control and food and exercise can be the place where they can control. When it comes to the intimate relationships between the athlete and coach, it can get quite complicated when it comes to body image and food recommendations. Considerations need to be taken with family, coach, friendships. TRANSITIONING OUT OF SPORT Developing a wide variety of interests outside of sport can help prevent a narrowed sense of self when and can also translate into a smoother transition outside of sport. Sarah enlightens us to the difficulty athletes have with that transition and how they can get into trouble if it isn't done well. EMBODIMENT OF MOVEMENT AND EATING The sensation of feeling your body in movement and before, during and after eating are crucial to being able to self-monitor and be able to listen to the cues in their bodies. Athletes can often become disembodied due to the nature of sports training and during disordered eating causes a similar. REACH OUT TO SARAH Twitter @saragairdner IG @sarahgairdner www.sarahgairdner.com REACH OUT TO CHRISTINA www.instagram.com/mattersofmovement www.facebook.com/mattersofmovement christina@mattersofmovement.com www.mattersofmovement.com ONLINE STUDIO www.mattersofmovement.com/membership

Trigger warning: Self-harm Join Jeanette and Christina as they talk about Jeanette and the amazing work she is doing. Jeanette has had her own experience with mental illness and has now turned her experience into an amazing program to help other black women and women of colour thrive on the other side of mental illness and health challenges. We discuss why a program like this is needed, and much of it lies in the lack of resources, love and support for black women who are the pillars of strength for their families and communities. Often it is the strongest that appear to be well and ok and who in turn need the additional help and support. We discuss how movement plays a role in recovery from mental illness and how movement played a crucial role in Jeanette's life while suffering from mental illness. Often it was the only thing that kept her afloat. In the end, a holistic approach to wellness was the answer for her. Knowing that movement was a source of strength for her, is comforting, but it was not the whole picture, community, meditation and a variety of other tools were key to helping her get to the other side. https://www.facebook.com/InnerJCoachingConsulting https://www.instagram.com/jeanetteoduro/ Reach out to Christina www.instagram.com/mattersofmovement www.facebook.com/mattersofmovement christina@mattersofmovement.com Online Studio www.mattersofmovement.com/membership

When you get to menopause, things don’t get better. Muscle atrophies and hormones take a nosedive. You lose muscle faster than you can create it. Your pelvic floor is like all the other muscles in your body, if you don’t use it, you lose it.

Connecting into the part of us that feels good is the life force within us. If we are clouded by pain or stress, it can disconnect us from our life. It is essential to connect to goodness every single day.

At the age of 36, Krystal was experiencing severe cramping and heavy bleeding following the birth of her six children and was diagnosed with adenomyosis, which is similar to endometriosis, but the growth of the tissue is inside the uterus. After a lot of doctors visits and many attempts at treating the condition with alternative methods Krystal, with the support of her husband, chose to go the route of the hysterectomy.

At 54 April was having breakfast feeling stiff and achy, again. She knew she had to get moving. She realizes now what she was feeling and experiencing at that time was body decay and muscle atrophy. After 3 years with a mobility specialist and personal trainer she has undergone a physical, emotional and mental transformation ... and a pain free, mobile future is hers.

Join Alexa and Christina as they talk about movement, diversity and body positivity. Why Pilates is so important to Alexa. When she came to Pilates after have been in the Yoga and wellness space for so long, she felt like she got a re-education. Even after learning the mechanics through her personal training. And even after dedicating herself to Yoga where you really learn about your body. After going to Pilates, she realized there were places in her body that she didn't know existed and they woke up. Who should be doing Pilates and how to start a practice. Everybody should be doing Pilates. She feels strongly the Pilates is an excellent tool for making other exercise modalities better. Other things do not necessarily make Pilates better. For example, Pilates makes her Yoga practice better, but not the other way around. Pilates has a way of targeting muscles and getting them working. So you don't have to spend so long trying to activate them. There are certain exercises where if you aren't using the right muscles, you won't be able to do the exercise. Get to a Pilates studio as you get the full benefit of the practice if you have access to the some of the equipment. It might not be in everybody's budget, but many studios will offer group classes that are comparable in price to a Yoga class. How Pilates can become less exclusive. The people running a studio have to want to have to have non-white people come in. Other people want to do this practice and if they opened their doors, they would be there. Studios that make an effort to offer services to people in other languages will bring those people in. What kind of language is important to avoid or alternatively what language is important to use to ensure that we are creating an inclusive environment. Anyone with a Pilates studio has to be intolerant of language that prejudice or stereotyping involved. I have worked at studios where teachers will say things about a client who looks a specific way and stereotypes it to that client when many other clients do the same things. If a studio is located in an area with many non-native speakers, it would be good to learn a few sentences to greet those people when they walk in the door. You may not say it perfectly, but the effort goes a long way. We get a peak into how Alexa put together her office chair video series. People kept requesting exercise for the office. She explored and played with the office chair. It was inspired by many different things including her own physical therapy, exploration and work on the Pilates equipment. All the things she does herself and that would be effective and not super weird to do in an office. We talk about how workplaces are bringing in more digital trainers We talk about a great post Alexa put up about aiming for health and not a specific dress size. This post was inspired by Alexa's experience as a child surrounded by family who were very focused on dress size. She could never quite meet the expectations. Her mother sadly passed away at the young age of 46 from cancer, despite how small she was. This started Alexa's health journey. She is a firm believer that you will get to the size you are meant to be by eating the most nutritious food and a healthy movement pattern. Alexa wants to encourage people to find a movement practice, it's good for your mental health and physical health. it will make you feel better or for the time that you are here, live better IG: @lowimpactfit TikTok: @alexapilates and @lowimpactfit Website: www.lowimpactfit.com

Welcome to the very first episode of the Matters of Movement podcast. In this introductory episode, I am going to share about how I got here and what you can expect to learn and hear during your time with me and my special guests. So, how did you get into Pilates? After my undergrad, I completed a Masters in the Exercise Sciences department with a focus on the impact exercise had on down regulating the autonomic nervous system. When I had completed that, my hopes were to get work into exercise research, but life didn't lead me where I had originally hoped. I ended up working in research in the area of gambling. An experience that brought me all over the country collecting information about safer gambling practices. It was so fun and at the time, the perfect fit. At the same time, in an effort to continue doing the health and wellness work that I so loved to do, I trained to become a Pilates instructor, which took me on a four year journey back and forth to Vancouver and across two Pilates studios here in Toronto. And I never looked back. Why did you start Matters of Movement? Just before the birth of my third, Matters of Movement was born, a Pilates-based movement practice. Obviously, I didn't get much teaching in the first year, but I built my website and did all the things. Although I have been teaching Pilates for 13 years I have been teaching officially as Matters of Movement since January 2019 and business was just picking up at my new location in 2020 when COVID happened. How did this podcast come about? I have learned that the foundation of this podcast was in its early gestation when we were at the University of Toronto doing our undergrad. During our time in this program, we were exposed to all facets of movement learning, whether it involved learning how to teach movement, society's impact on sport and movement, the psychology of sport and movement, biomechanics, physiology, motor learning, anatomy, philosophy, sports medicine, sports research and media. I am so grateful today for the exposure we had at that time to all things related to movement. Today, 16 years later, I am still fascinated by both what impacts movement, but also what movement impacts in our lives. In the early stages of my business, I decided to participate in some business training and it was probably one of the best things I have ever done. It really let me open my mind up to all the possibilities. I never imagined doing a podcast, but here we are. What do you hope to accomplish during the podcast? This podcast is going to act as a tool for my and my listeners continued learning about movement. In the podcast, I want to tackle every aspect of life that can impact movement, so that would mean science, physical, spiritual and mental health, the arts, race, accessibility, societal pressures, and well everything in between. The options are basically endless, which is perfect for a podcast like this. Given everything going on with black lives matter and the anti-racist movement, how are you going to make sure that your work represents the BIPOC community? My plan is to make sure that this podcast has guests that represent the BIPOC community well. This includes ensuring that I invite people to come and share their stories in a raw and open and honest way so that we may all continue to learn in a way that will help us support the BIPOC in the best way possible. IG/FB: @mattersofmovement www.mattersofmovement.com christina@mattersofmovement.com

I have learned that the foundation of this podcast was in its early gestation when we were at the University of Toronto doing our undergrad. During our time in this program, we were exposed to all facets of movement learning, whether it involved learning how to teach movement, society’s impact on sport and movement, the psychology of sport and movement, biomechanics, physiology, motor learning, anatomy, philosophy, sports medicine, sports research and media. I am so grateful today for the exposure we had at that time to all things related to movement. Today, 16 years later, I am still fascinated by both what impacts movement, but also what movement impacts in our lives.

The people running a studio have to want to have to have non-white people come in. Other people want to do this practice and if they opened their doors, they would be there. Studios that make an effort to offer services to people in other languages will bring those people in. At one of the studios she works at, the website indicates that they speak Korean. When you go into the studio there are images of Koreans doing Pilates. The imagery people use in the studios matters. Many other studios she works at have imagery only depicting white people. The advertising might have a brown person. Diversification doesn’t just mean black people. And while she is happy to see black people in imagery, this isn’t appealing to people of Indian or South American origin.