Victoria Issue 6

Shape Your Year

Getting in Shape in Victoria

It seems to be everywhere: January resolution time. Get in shape and start off the year right, especially in this city which must have more full-time professional athletes per capita than any other in Canada. Everywhere you look, you see them—rowers, cyclists, triathletes—everyone is working out. 

With small kids or babies, it sometimes feels impossible to carve out some exercise time for yourself. Fortunately, there are several boot camps in Victoria that offer outdoor programs in a group environment, and we find that exercising with others who share the pain is much easier than doing so on your own. 

Body Dynamics Headquarters offers a variety of boot camp classes all over Victoria. Owner Michele Shorter is a mom herself and an inspiration to all. They even offer a Baby Boot Camp, where you can work-out right up to giving birth and when you are ready to return, come back for a stroller baby class. Body Dynamics has a class for you no matter what stage you are at.

If indoor is your preference on these rainy January days, and child care is your priority, there is one gym with the best child-minding around. At V Fitness (formerly Planet Fitness) you’ll find Deanne Comtois, who looks after babies from one month to five years of age, and she does so diligently and lovingly as if these kids were her own. She has been working at V Fitness in University Heights Shopping Centre for 14 years, cuddling, holding, creating block structures, and drawing pictures with many babies and kids while moms get some much needed respite.

If you just can’t make it outside or inside to work out, go online instead. You’ll find that iTunes has some great exercise podcasts to download and are easy to do while baby naps.

We’re particularly fond of the free 20-minute yoga workouts by www.yogadownload.com.

Resolve to add some new dynamic to your body. Your booty calls.

How to Find

Body Dynamics Boot Camp
www.bdhq.ca

V Fitness
www.vifitness.ca

Tested by Barb C., Victoria

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First published 2010.01.14