Christmas desserts, New Year’s Eve champagne, Valentine’s Day chocolate, and Easter sweets.
For many of us, these treats have added unwanted pounds and helped us survive the Ottawa winter.
Despite the rush of January newcomers in the gym with New Year’s resolutions, most fall into a habit of sweaters by the fire instead of sweating from physical activities.
Physical fitness levels have decreased by 15 to 25 per cent over the past 30 years while less active behaviours like sitting in a car has increased, according to a Statistics Canada study conducted last May.
The study found the healthiest adults were those that were the most physically fit.
With the snow melting, it’s the perfect time for Centretown residents to start exploring what fitness options their neighbourhood offers.
Community centres such as Jack Purcell, McNabb, and Plant all offer fitness classes and intramural sports such as badminton, volleyball, rope skipping, and aquafit.
The centres offer West Coast Swing dance classes and the Japanese martial art Kendo for the adventurous few.
Jack Purcell and Plant both offer swimming pool options such as aquafitness classes, lane swimming or leisure and family time in the pool.
Organized by the City of Ottawa, these programs are reasonably priced and offer different timeslots across locations to ease the challenge of finding one that fits most people’s hectic schedules.
Commitment issues? Don’t worry.
The neighbourhood itself offers a multitude of parks and trails for spontaneous runs, rollerblading, biking or simply walking by the water.
Local groups organize outdoor boot camps as well as group cycling and running on a drop-in basis, making it easy to come and go depending on your week’s schedule.
Groups such as Ottawa Sport & Social Club offer “sprummer” leagues for those that want to get started in April and continue right through the summer.
The Canadian Community Health Survey of 2013, released this year, shows Canadians are making progress with 55.2 per cent aged 12 and older reporting activity levels equivalent to an hour-long exercise class three times a week.
But the same survey discovered roughly one in five youths aged 12 to 17 are considered overweight or obese.
Being physically active plays a major role in staying healthy this spring.
But it’s also equally important to explore other ways to improve your overall health.
There are many services available to families or individuals to help decrease health risks due to obesity or less than desired physical activity levels.
The community centres in Centretown offer health and wellness programs including workshops for cooking, holistic wellness, and meditation.
These programs are important to maintain both physical and mental health over a longer period.
Canadians lucky enough to reside in an area that provides as many services as Centretown should take advantage of all that it offers.
Whether it’s through community centre programs or independently taking some initiative, Centretown residents don’t have to go far to get in shape this spring.