Loulou's views

Happy New Year! How  cliché to  start my first post of 2016 talking about ways to get healthier and happier, but the start of a new year excites me and I look forward to challenging myself, writing down new goals (that I may or may not stick to—hey, resolutions are tough !) and trying to get healthier than the year before. Of course it's important to stick to an exercise routine and eat well throughout the year, but December is a month of partying and overindulging more than usual, so getting back on track in January can sometimes be difficult... but not impossible. Here are six simple ways to be healthier and happier this year: Be thankful. It's easy to complain about the things in life that aren't going exactly as we'd like them to go, but if we take a moment each day to remember all the good things we have in our life, we'll complain a lot less. Be thankful for what you have—family, friends, home. We have it good, and if you need a remin...

Right now, there are a lot of things that make me smile. After all, as long as my children are happy, I feel content. However, we all have bad days— those moments of doubt and insecurities and fear that can take over the mind and put you in a state of complete unhappiness. I’m trying to enjoy every minute of this sunshine and warm weather. I love evening walks and basketball games with my boys after dinner, and love the fact that because I’m eating healthier, I’m feeling better, too. However, it doesn’t take much to turn a wonderful day into something… not so wonderful, despite the power of the sun and love from my children. It could be a sad news story I’ve read, a fight I’ve had with a friend or loved one, unpaid bills piling up, or worrying about what’s going to happen in the near (or far) future. And I do worry all the time, about everything. There are ways to stop the negative thoughts from forming into something larger, though, and these are the things I do to try to stay...

Spring is finally— finally —in the air. Oh, just writing those words feels amazing! It has been a long, harsh winter, and despite a ten day beautiful vacation to Miami and Orlando, winter still dragged on, which meant I spent more time than usual sitting on the couch wishing the snow would go away so I could get outside with my children to do the things we love to do. (I'm sorry, but fun winter activities like skiing and skating are not that enjoyable to me because -30C is the worst!) Anyway, now with warmer days in our forceast, it's time to get back into shape. (Unless, of course, you've been smart and have kept up your workout routine even when all you've wanted to do is stay home, eat chips, and marathon-watch the new season of House of Cards.) I have been with GoodLife Fitness for years, probably from the first year they opened in Ottawa. I loved that I could go the gym whenever I wanted to work out, I loved that there was always a location clos...