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2 Red Deer Express • New Year, New You Wednesday, January 7, 2015
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Wednesday, January 7, 2015 New Year, New You • Red Deer Express 3
BY ERIN FAWCETTRed Deer Express
Softer colours are on the
way for spring in terms of
fashion.
“Blush and beige are re-
ally dominant colours for
spring,” said Bev Kraush-
er, owner of Great Strides
in Red Deer. “The colour
palette in the spring is gen-
erally more subdued – very
muted, beautiful shades
and everything is softer. We
are seeing however some of
the citrus colours as well
because not everyone can
wear those muted tones.”
A style that Krausher
said remains strong going
into spring is the look of a
tunic with leggings.
“Women are not going
to give those up,” she said.
“That is here to stay. It’s
comfortable and everyone
can wear this style. We are
seeing pencil-type pants
with this look, so nothing
in a wider leg. Dresses are
also popular – they are very
easy to wear and there are
so many fl attering styles.
Everyone talks about the
little black dress, but the
little white dress is huge
now.
Krausher added ponchos
are also something that are
hot for the spring season.
“Ponchos are great be-
cause you can just throw
it over a nice blouse and
a pair of pants or a t-shirt
and jeans.”
In terms of footwear,
Krausher said the biggest
trend consumers will see
are spring boots. “Here in
Red Deer oftentimes we can
wear our fall/winter selec-
tion well into the season
because of the weather. But
shoe companies are offer-
ing a lighter selection now
with laser cuts and beau-
tiful fl oral motif and just
lighter colours.”
Krausher said compa-
nies have also streamlined
the wedge shoe for 2015 as
well.
“It’s a little bit of a fi ner
look. We are not having
that big, clunky look. Hav-
ing said that out of Europe
we are starting to see very
thick soles. Think of a san-
dal but with a one inch sole,
so you’re raised up one inch
all the way around - this is
very fast and very forward.
We are starting to see that
in lace ups and in a wing-
tipped kind of a look and
also in sandals. It’s quite
aggressive looking.”
As for mainstays,
Krausher said the pump is
a classic look as well.
“You buy these shoes
and they are a great look
for the offi ce but they are
also good for going out at
night too. It’s a very wear-
able shoe and I think ev-
ery woman should have
that great black pump or a
nude pump. If people are
trying on pumps now they
are a lot more comfortable
then they were 10 years
ago,” she said, adding fl at
shoes are also a style that
remains trendy. “Flats are
not going away – people
are not giving those up. But
ballet fl ats have been done
so maybe there is some or-
namentation or a little bit
of a lace or a toe cap.”
Other trends for this
coming spring for footwear
include the use of metallic
colours and mixing metals.
“Pewter and rose gold are
still really, really strong.
The yellow gold is still being
shown and then mixtures of
all of those, too.”
Looking back, Krausher
added in 2014 ankle boots
were a trend that was a sur-
prising one. “Of course we
really see the higher boots
here but in Europe and in
other parts of the world
we have seen that ankle or
three-quarter boot style.”
She added ankle boots
can be worn with leggings
and dresses or even shorts
rather than just wearing an
ankle boot under jeans or
pants. The trend is to show
them off.
“At the same time we
have also seen boots that
are to the knee and over
the knee. That has been re-
ally, really popular. People
are wearing tunics and leg-
gings with a tall boot.”
For those who are new
to the boot style, Krausher
said a great fi rst buy would
be a lace up Oxford. “That
is a great look and they
come in a stacked heel, so
not a narrow heel. Comfort
is key and people do not
have to sacrifi ce comfort
for style.”
Meanwhile, Krausher
said there are certain items
that every woman should
have in her wardrobe.
“Leggings are one of
those items and I know
there are ladies who don’t
think they can wear them,
but there are styles for ev-
ery body type. It’s important
to talk to people in the shops
and take a look at some of
those styles. Designers are
mindful that people come
in all shapes and sizes and
they are making styles that
accommodate.”
Krausher added other
must-have items for wom-
en include a crisp, white
blouse, a black and white
dress, a well fi tting black
dress pant, a blazer and a
piece in leather whether
it’s a jacket or skirt.
“In shoes a great clas-
sic pump is a must-have as
well as a wing-tipped shoe
– they are not going away –
think of a men’s dress shoe,
but a women’s version.”
In terms of accessories,
Krausher said a statement
necklace should be in ev-
ery woman’s closet. “If you
keep with your great ba-
sic pieces, you can totally
change your look with ac-
cessories. It’s important to
keep your accessory collec-
tion current.”
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Tapping into the hottest looks for the springFrom clothing to accessories, local fashionista dishes on the latest trends
4 Red Deer Express • New Year, New You Wednesday, January 7, 2015
When you do web search about design
trends you see catch words like ‘retro’, ‘tra-
ditional’, ‘contemporary’ and ‘classic’.
All of these categories have completely
opposite meanings yet they all come up on
searches when you are looking for trends
– it’s no wonder people are confused about
how to design their homes!
If you are entering into a project this
year, whether building or renovating, I
would encourage you to think outside of
the box.
Pick the items you love but I want you
to really put some thought into adding a
fun element to your home. Look at some of
your favorite items on Pinterest or Houzz
and decide to include something similar in
your home even if on a smaller scale.
It may be a fun furniture or art element;
you may choose to have an outlandish area
rug in your home made of patches of leath-
er and jean pockets or a footstool covered
in cowhide in an otherwise contemporary
space.
Whatever you choose make sure it is a
refl ection of you and make sure that it
stands out enough that anyone entering
your home will sort of get ‘hit’ with it.
Many people worry that they will get
tired of an outlandish decorative item or
statement but I assure you if it jumps up
and grabs your attention, you will have
it in your life and love it for decades to
come! Something as simple as changing
your bedroom light fi xture to a romantic,
moody chandelier may completely over-
haul the sense you have in that room. If
you have longed for the charm of exposed
brick walls to make your space more loft
like then please, I beg you....GO FOR IT!
One thing or one small change will
transform your space and your feelings
about that space.
Nothing is worse than planning a design
project and it just turns out okay; this is
the time to pull out the stops and create a
fabulous focal point in your home.
If you need more texture, add a chair
with simple style and mind blowing fabric
then order a few more yards to make cur-
tains or pillows for your room.
Take a boring wall in your home and
cover it with recycled metal or reclaimed
hardwood for that instant fun and chic fi n-
ish. You can even work in fantastic wallpa-
per or tile to create a one of a kind feeling
– anything is possible!
Take it, own it and run with it! This is
the time of resolutions and renewal and
it’s time to add visual interest and a huge
wow factor to your home.
Decide that this is the year of ignoring
your mother or best friend who say ‘that’s
TOO much’ and taking on all the design
world has to offer.
Don’t be afraid of the large patterned
wallpaper and animal print fabric and
rugs – take on these elements that take
your breath away and use them in your
home.
A professional may be required to help
you balance patterns but your result will
be spectacular if you step outside the
brown cardboard box.
So go ahead, paint your ceiling orange
or install the most fabulous light fi xture in
your dining room then have your friends
over for dinner and revel in their jaw drop-
ping stares.
Take just one chance this year on your
home decor and stomp fear into the ground
when you are tempted to pull back and
play it safe.
Kim Meckler is an interior designer in Red Deer with Carpet Colour Centre.
Think outside the box for New Year renovations
Kim
M E C K L E R
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Wednesday, January 7, 2015 New Year, New You • Red Deer Express 5
BY KALISHA MENDONSARed Deer Express
With the New Year upon
us, people often look at
how they can improve their
lives and make resolutions
for change for the year
ahead.
Resolutions for change
can fade away quickly
without the right tools as
can a positive outlook that
accepts that life sometimes
is unpredictable.
Kyle Garnett, a mental
health counsellor with the
Red Deer Primary Care
Network, has some tips for
how to make goals stick for
the whole year and how to
deal with those times when
things don’t go as planned.
“One of the things to
think about is stress and
how to manage that. Often,
people look at stress as a
very negative thing, and we
try to push it away in life.
However, stress is actually
a very good indicator of a
need. It is a brain and body
response that says, ‘Hey,
something is happening
here’,” said Garnett.
“My fi rst message is to
change your mindset and
way of viewing stress. Sec-
ond to that, try to under-
stand what stress is telling
you because there is usual-
ly a need behind that stress.
That could mean you need
physical health care, a talk
with a friend or even some
journaling.”
Lots of people get
stressed out about change
that can come with resolu-
tions, winding down from
holidays, and looking for-
ward to the next year.
Garnett said that goals
are important but if one
focuses too much on the
past or future, it causes
anxiety, which takes away
from overall happiness and
health.
“Whenever we’re focus-
ing on the past, we’re usu-
ally anxious or depressed
because it about things we
can’t control and it’s over.
When we’re focused on the
future, it hasn’t happened
yet so we’re also feeling
anxious. This brings me
to the idea of mindfulness
and pulling our mind to the
present moment we are liv-
ing.
“The idea of pulling our-
selves back to the present is
a very good technique to re-
duce stress. It’s about get-
ting into the senses to be-
come mindful. What are we
seeing, touching, hearing,
tasting, smelling, and how
are we taking in those ex-
periences in this moment.”
Garnett explained as
people consider themselves
in the moment, they could
get more fulfi lment out of
their present situation and
also identify their goals
and needs at that time.
Mindfulness, as defi ned
by Garnett, is about non-
judgemental moment-to-
moment awareness and
slowing down.
“Something that is cul-
tivated over time is chang-
ing our relationships with
our thoughts and feelings.
People need to know that
thoughts are just that until
we allow them to become
judgements. Usually, when
we’re getting judgemental,
it is a projection of some-
thing that is happening for
us so it becomes important
to tune into the feeling and
identifying the underlying
need.”
New Year’s resolutions
are goals that often will
mean a big change in a per-
son’s life.
Garnett said if you want
to make a resolution stick,
examine and identify the
small steps that will make
up the bigger effort.
“For looking at goals, I
like to ask people to use the
RICK principle. With this
they examine: What is my
readiness?
“Is this important to me?
Do I have the confi dence
and knowledge to make this
happen?”
He said that it is impor-
tant to note a person may
not have the confi dence and
knowledge that they will
need to see a goal to com-
pletion, but they should
ask themselves anyway as
a starting point.
“If you can go through
that model, and say yes to
all four – at least to have
a start – that will make it
worthwhile.
“We may not start out
with lots of knowledge or
confi dence, but it’s impor-
tant that we’re willing to
try. The readiness and im-
portance are where it all
starts.”
Garnett said it is impor-
tant to set goals but to un-
derstand that life changes.
Goals are not only for Jan-
uary, but should be long-
term and benefi cial to our
lifestyles.
Another tip that Garnett
had for really enjoying and
embracing the change of
the New Year is to address
what values and principles
one wants to abide by, and
then to identify what gives
meaning and purpose. This
positivity will resonate
all year long and can help
people to live a full life with
less stress.
“It’s a good thing to ask
yourself all year round,
‘Am I living my life with
my values and principles
or am I off track?’
“It comes back to mind-
fulness. Find out what ful-
fi ls you in life because that
is an important aspect of
living a full life and manag-
ing self-care. That comes
back to mindfulness.”
For many people rela-
tionships in their lives are
causes of both stress and
happiness. Maintaining
relationships, either pro-
fessional or personal, in
a healthy way is a major
player in feeling fulfi lled
each year.
His advice is to set aside
designated time to connect
with people and to identify
personal responsibilities in
meeting relationship goals.
This translates into being
mindful of criticisms and
blame, including blaming
oneself.
“It’s not about blaming
ourselves or other people,
but fi guring out our roles
and what we can change to
make the relationship bet-
ter, and then things get a
lot easier.”
Ultimately, he said that
self-care, mindfulness and
appreciation are the keys to
having a truly Happy New
Year.
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“OFTEN, PEOPLE LOOK AT STRESS AS A VERY NEGATIVE
THING, AND WE TRY TO PUSH IT AWAY IN LIFE. HOWEVER, STRESS IS
ACTUALLY A VERY GOOD INDICATOR OF A NEED.
IT IS A BRAIN AND BODY RESPONSE THAT SAYS, ‘HEY, SOMETHING IS HAPPENING HERE’.”
KYLE GARNETT
Managing stress and staying positive this year
6 Red Deer Express • New Year, New You Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Are New Year’s Resolu-
tions worth making any-
more?
Perhaps not, according
to a 2007 University of Bris-
tol study by psychologist,
professor and author Rich-
ard Wiseman.
He found that a full 88%
of the 3,000 study subjects
failed to keep their resolu-
tions. This, despite that at
the beginning of the study
52% of the participants
said they were confi dent of
success.
Only about 1/10!
It’s no wonder that some
people say emphatically
that making New Year’s
Resolutions is a waste of
time. But don’t throw in the
towel just yet. Because any
time you commit to making
improvements in your life,
it’s a positive thing.
A much better ques-
tion is...how do you im-
prove your odds of follow-
ing through on your New
Year’s Resolutions? The
good news is that if you are
actually reading a health
and fi tness column , I’d say
your odds of success are
better than average.
And to make your odds
even greater I’ve put to-
gether 12 tactics (broken
down in three categories:
Strategy, Accountabil-
ity and Motivation) to help
make sure this is the year
you achieve your New
Year’s health and fi tness
resolution:
Strategy
• Don’t make too many
resolutions. Attempt too
much at once and it could
overwhelm you. Make a
list, prioritize it and then
shoot for the top one or two.
• Be realistic. Your goals
have to be achievable. Don’t
be too aggressive with
your goals. Shoot for goals
you are confi dent you can
achieve.
• Put a plan together. You
need a plan. So spend a few
minutes and document the
exact steps you are going to
take to achieve your resolu-
tions. And be specifi c. Don’t
just say ‘I’m going to exer-
cise more.’ Say ‘I’m going
to do an hour workout four
times a week and will work-
out on Monday, Wednesday,
Friday and Sunday.’
• Get professional assis-
tance. Tapping into an ex-
pert’s knowledge will give
you a tried and true path to
success. Plus it will make
you more accountable.
Accountability
• Turn it into a family af-
fair or social activity with
friends. You don’t have to
go it alone. Partner up with
a family member or friend
who has the same goals.
• Keep a journal. Docu-
ment your journey. It will
make you more aware of
what you should be doing
and help you stay focused
on your goals.
• Start a blog. Services
such as blogger.com and
wordpress.com offer free
blogging services. Don’t
worry if anyone reads it.
The real reward is in the
act of writing it.
• Focus on actions. The
results will take care of
themselves.
Motivation
• Apply a sense of pur-
pose to your goals. A sense
of purpose applies a great-
er meaning to your resolu-
tion. For example, if your
goal is to get in shape, your
sense of purpose might be
too live as long as you can
so you’ll be able to spend
the maximum amount of
time with your children
and grandchildren.
• Reward yourself. Once
you reach certain mile-
stones, reward yourself.
It could be something as
simple as buying a music
album you’ve always want-
ed or treating yourself to a
meal in a nice restaurant.
• Picture yourself as the
person you’d like to be. And
then remind yourself that if
you stick to your schedule
you will become that person.
Some people fi nd it useful to
post a picture of themselves
at their ideal weight or hang
a bathing suit, ‘skinny jeans’
or other clothing they want
to fi t into to help them with
that picture.
• If you take a misstep,
get ‘back on the horse’. It’s
not he end of the world. But
don’t give up. Continue on
with renewed vigor.
Remember, permanent
change only happens if you
change your behaviour.
We’ve all known some-
one who changed their be-
haviour temporality with a
diet, and successfully lost
weight only to gain it back
when they eased back into
their old bad habits.
The key is to make these
lifestyle changes your new
way of doing things.
And aside from that, per-
haps the most important
tip is to be positive. Atti-
tude is everything when it
comes to everything you do
in life. Believe you will suc-
ceed and you can accom-
plish anything you set your
mind to.
Jack Wheeler is a personal trainer and owner of 360 Fit-ness in Red Deer.
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Twelve tactics for keeping health and fi tness resolutions
Jack
W H E E L E R
Wednesday, January 7, 2015 New Year, New You • Red Deer Express 7
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8 Red Deer Express • New Year, New You Wednesday, January 7, 2015
As mentioned in the fi lm
Rent, there are 526,600 min-
utes in a year.
This means there are
526,600 minutes we can use
to better our lives and in-
cite change or to continue
on in one’s unhappiness.
People rush into the New
Year with lists of resolu-
tions on how they are going
to change themselves and
their lives, hoping this will
fi nally be the year they lose
those 10 extra pounds, save
that extra money, or fi nally
do all of the things they’ve
always wanted to do.
So my question for you is
this, why must you wait un-
til the beginning of a new
year to make these chang-
es? If you want to change
something, do it.
Looking back at the last
365 days of my life, particu-
larly to this time last year
– I was in no place to be in-
citing changes into my life,
yet the universe had other
plans for me.
After leaving a mentally
draining and exhausting
relationship, I was back
living in my parent’s base-
ment and needless to say I
was miserable.
Not because I was living
with my parents again, al-
though it was slightly de-
pressing to think about.
I was overweight, smok-
ing a pack a day, wildly
unhappy and downright
unwilling to make any
changes or do anything
about it.
All I wanted to do was
wallow, so wallow I did.
Many nights spent alone
in my room accompanied
by Ben & Jerry, my good
pal Netfl ix, and a few good
cries were to follow.
This carried on for a few
months into 2014, until one
morning I woke up and de-
cided something needed to
change.
A quote had appeared
on my facebook newsfeed
the night before stating,
“Think less, feel more.
Frown less, smile more.
Talk less, listen more.
Judge less, accept more.
Watch less, do more. Com-
plain less, appreciate more.
Fear less, love more.”
These words ran on re-
peat through my mind until
I fell asleep that night and
were again on my mind
when I awoke.
For the last few months
all I had been doing was
frowning about the things I
thought were wrong in my
life, talking about my prob-
lems, judging the people
who I thought had wronged
me, watching happy people
be happy, complaining
about my situation, and liv-
ing in immense fear of my
new unstable and uncer-
tain life.
It was decided that morn-
ing that today was going to
be the day I would smile
again, I would listen with
great intent, I would be ac-
cepting of everyone and
forgive those who I was an-
gry with.
Instead of watching peo-
ple be happy, I was going
to do things that made me
happy.
Rather than complaining
about the problems in my
life, I was going to appre-
ciate the things that were
right in it.
Last but not least, and
I must admit this one cer-
tainly took the longest and
the most effort - I was go-
ing to open my heart to love
and stop fearing life.
It’s unclear if I had made
a list of resolutions say-
ing these same things if
I would’ve actually done
them or not, but on this
particular day I woke up
and I was inspired to make
the positive changes in
my life that I needed to be
happy.
I saw what I needed to do,
and I did them.
Some may say it’s easier
said than done to simply
wake up one morning and
change your life, but the
will power of a human is
truly immeasurable. On
that day I designed a life I
loved.
It took a few months to
see results of my choices
but I learned that if you
want change in your life,
you just have to do it. If you
want to lose weight, do it.
If you want to save money,
do it.
Don’t wait until the New
Year to change your life,
there are literally 526,600
minutes in a year that you
can snap back to reality
and make little changes.
There are 526,600 min-
utes in a year that you can
choose to smile, listen, ac-
cept, do, appreciate and
love.
But at the end of the day,
that’s just it – you have to
choose to do these things
and no one is going to force
you.
I was pulled out of
months of wallowing by
one of those ‘light bulb mo-
ments’ incited by a simple
quote on the Internet, and
I would venture to say that
everyone needs that inspi-
ration to get the ball rolling.
So maybe my story can
be that inspiration for
someone else, because life
is short and it’s too short to
spend it living any way but
exactly how you want. You
have to design your life,
and you have the power to
do so.
No one in this life is pow-
erless, but sometimes we
need inspiration to fi nd our
power.
Five hundred twenty
fi ve thousand six hundred
minutes later and I’m still
working on the life I want
to live everyday. I’ve lost
some of the weight that
was bothering me, but it’s
still a choice I have to make
everyday. I made the choice
to quit smoking, sometimes
I slip up but every day is a
challenge and from what I
hear from people who have
quit I very well may strug-
gle with this the rest of my
life.
Sure there are days when
I don’t feel like getting out
of bed, days I feel like eat-
ing 17 poutines back to
back then smoking an en-
tire pack of cigarettes but
I have to fi ght everyday for
the values I want my life to
be based on.
Don’t wait for Friday,
don’t wait for summer,
and don’t wait for the New
Year next time you want to
make a change because if
you keep waiting, one day
it might be too late.
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Making necessary changes to live your best lifeJenna
SWAN
“SOME MAY SAY IT’S EASIER SAID THAN
DONE TO SIMPLY WAKE UP ONE MORNING AND
CHANGE YOUR LIFE, BUT THE WILL POWER OF A HUMAN IS TRULY IMMEASURABLE. ON
THAT DAY I DESIGNED A LIFE I LOVED.”
Wednesday, January 7, 2015 New Year, New You • Red Deer Express 9
BY MARK WEBERRed Deer Express
With the start of a New Year, many fi nd
themselves wanting to make some serious
changes to their lives. That can include
tackling an ongoing weight issue.
There are many ways to begin the battle,
including choosing to join a group of like-
minded individuals setting out to achieve
similar goals of not only dropping weight
but also bettering overall health.
One such group is TOPS – Take Off
Pounds Sensibly. There are several TOPS
groups in the City one of which meets ev-
ery Monday in the basement of the Luther-
an Church of the Good Shepherd.
Weigh-in occurs between 6 and 6:45 p.m.
with the program running from 7 to 8 p.m.
Organizers encourage folks to drop in for
a free evening or call Sharon Vierboom at
403-309-2395 (evenings).
Trevor Seitz, 39, has been attending
meetings for about fi ve years.
“I had a minor heart attack when I was
younger,” he explains, adding that his
highest weight was 290 lbs. When he joined
TOPS, he weighed 231 lbs.
Today, he weighs in at about 185 lbs.
“I had a great metabolism growing up
– and then when I hit college it was ‘eat
when you can’. I was skipping meals – es-
pecially breakfast and eating lunch on the
fl y. I started packing on the weight.”
Even with a commitment to exercising,
he wasn’t able to maintain a healthy weight
as well. “I knew I had to make a change.”
He tried out a couple of groups, and
found TOPS to be the most suitable.
“I think it’s the support,” he explains.
“Everyone is the same boat – mind you
we are outnumbered by women,” he adds
with a laugh. That was a bit intimidating
at fi rst, but it soon was a non-issue because
what he found was a supportive, welcom-
ing community that was willing to walk
him all the way through his weight loss
journey.
TOPS helps participants reach weight-
loss goals by providing them with the
tools, information, support and account-
ability they need to be successful. After all,
this has been a winning formula for TOPS
members over the last 60-some years.
According to the TOPS web site, meet-
ings help folks take an honest look at the
changes they need to make. They also
show that true health “Isn’t a certain pants
size, or even a number on a scale.”
Vierboom, as mentioned, is the group’s
facilitator. “What makes TOPS unique
and stand out is that it’s not a diet plan
– it’s a lifestyle change.” Other programs
may work, but if you don’t stick to the pro-
gram, you will likely re-gain the weight,
she said.
“I’m not saying that’s doesn’t happen
with TOPS, but what we are trying to do
is teach people how to eat properly, get
proper exercise and also teach them that
it doesn’t have to include drastic changes.
“We also don’t charge the exorbitant
member fees – membership is going up to
$36 per year, and for that you get the TOP
News as well. We as a chapter also charge
$5 per month members’ fees to help pay
rent and buy supplies.”
Vierboom mentioned a quote she heard
from Barbara Cady, CEO of TOPS, who
said that, ‘After the fi rst two bites, every-
thing else is redundant.’
Meanwhile, conversations run the gam-
ut from nutrition to health concerns to
weight loss strategies to portion control to
food shopping in a healthier way. Special
speakers also drop in from time to time to
present their views on an array of health
and diet-related issues as well, said Seitz.
For Seitz, the hard work, lifestyle chang-
es and support certainly paid off. He was
named the Provincial King Runner Up for
TOPS in 2012.
Dennies Vierboom has also found TOPS
to be an effective tool in losing weight.
“When I came in, I didn’t really under-
stand how to eat or what food did,” he
explains. Over the years, he was a busy
tradesman and weight gain wasn’t a prob-
lem. But a few years back, he was diag-
nosed with fi bromyalgia. “It just stopped
me, and then the weight packed on – up to
260 pounds.
“Within six months I put on 30 pounds,”
he said. “Me sitting at home trying to lose
weight just didn’t work.”
Dennies, 54, joined TOPS in the summer
of 2010, as his wife Sharon (current facili-
tator) was attending then as well.
He was with the group for a couple of
years, and has only recently returned. But
over that period of being away, he only
gained 1 lb. So the lessons and lifestyle
changes clearly stayed with him. That’s the
same case as with Seitz, who has returned
after not attending since last August – he
only gained about 1 lb. as well.
That’s good news in a society of diets
that cost millions every year, only for folks
to later often see the pounds come back on
– and then some.
“It’s understanding how food works,”
said Dennies, who was the TOPS second
place winner in Division II for Alberta in
2010. He has lost about 45 lbs. The sup-
port he has received from TOPS has been
invaluable. “There’s a lot of experience to
take advantage of, so it’s also a great learn-
ing tool.”
For those considering signing on, both
men emphasize how the group has helped
them change their lives. And they encour-
age other men to give it a try. “It’s a true
struggle – everybody struggles with it ev-
eryday whether you are on weight, over-
weight or underweight. It’s fi nding that
place where you can be healthy and feel
comfortable,” said Seitz.
Dennies agrees. “If nothing else, you
will learn more about the food that you are
eating. I’d encourage anyone to come.”
Both men also say how much better life
is now that they are thinner.
“I feel awesome,” said Seitz. “I’ve got more
energy, I can get back into power walking
and jogging and running marathons again
– which I haven’t been able to do for a long
time. I can do that in the New Year.”
For more information, visit www.TOPS.
org.
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10 Red Deer Express • New Year, New You Wednesday, January 7, 2015
6
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With the turn of every new
year, we all refl ect on where we
are in life, where we’ve been and
where we’re headed.
It seems to be the time that we
commit to change ourselves for
the better - the New Year Resolu-
tion.
How many of us resolve to eat
better or exercise more, every
year? All are noble and health
oriented goals.
We all know the benefi ts of
healthy eating or increased exer-
cise. The evidence is so huge, that
it has become common knowl-
edge. But what about something
like better hearing as a health
oriented goal?
There is mounting evidence
that leaving existing hearing loss
untreated can have signifi cant
negative effects on brain function
as we age.
Dr. Frank Lin, MD, PhD, a re-
searcher at Johns Hopkins Uni-
versity has recently published a
couple of startling articles link-
ing hearing loss to dementia, de-
cline in brain function and even
brain “shrinkage”.
His data shows that people with
hearing loss show mental decline
30 to 40% quicker than those
without.
On average, older adults with
hearing loss showed signifi cant
impairment in their brain func-
tion (dementia) 3.2 years sooner
than those with normal hearing.*
When we consider this new
data, and add it to what Audiolo-
gists already know about untreat-
ed hearing loss, the conclusions
are interesting.
We now know that untreated
hearing loss can accelerate the
onset of dementia.
We know that untreated or
poorly treated hearing loss can
mimic signs of dementia, making
the role of the family doctor dif-
fi cult in what to manage fi rst. We
also know that carefully fi t hear-
ing aid technology can minimize
cognitive load.
That is to say, if we do our job
properly, we can minimize how
much of a person’s mental re-
sources (brain effort) is invested
in listening. If we can do that, it
is possible to help people direct
those resources to other areas of
life and potentially reduce fatigue
and stress at the end of the day.
We can’t underestimate the
importance of our hearing. It is
what allows us to communicate
and maintain relationships. What
we haven’t thought about until
now, is how many other aspects
of our health can be affected by
our hearing.
The evidence is compelling and
it may be time to consider our
hearing as an aspect of health care
similar to weight loss or healthy
eating or quitting smoking.
The choices we make now can
pay dividends later in life. Some-
times health care focuses on liv-
ing longer.
Maybe we need to start think-
ing about the quality of those
years that we are adding to our
life. Maybe it’s time to stop de-
laying that visit to the Audiolo-
gist and start investing in an im-
proved quality of life.
There is no time like the pres-
ent. A new year and a new you!
* If you have any questions
about the studies cited in this
article, please contact me at
Dr. Andrew Towers is an audiologist with HearWell Audiologists in Red Deer.
Andrew
TOWERS
Healthy hearing makes for a happier life
Wednesday, January 7, 2015 New Year, New You • Red Deer Express 11
BY KALISHA MENDONSARed Deer Express
Local residents wishing
to kick a tobacco habit will
be able to access a free ces-
sation program through
Alberta Health Services
(AHS) called QuitCore,
when it returns to the City
this month.
QuitCore is a cost-free
six-week program that
takes place at Johnstone
Crossing Community
Health Centre on consecu-
tive Thursdays beginning
Jan. 22nd. The program
begins at 2:30 p.m. and goes
to 4 p.m. To register call
1-866-710-QUIT (7848) or
register online at www.al-
bertaquits.ca.
“We typically run this
program three times a
year in Red Deer. We have
a dietician who comes in
to talk about some healthy
eating choices, as well as a
pharmacist who gives in-
formation on replacement
therapies and prescription
cessation options,” said
Jessica Bennett, a tobacco
reduction and addictions
counsellor with Alberta
Addiction and Mental
Heath Services.
“We have lots of people
who come in and say that
they have tried a product,
but we fi nd that a lot of peo-
ple aren’t getting the results
they want because they sim-
ply aren’t using the product
right. Our pharmacist helps
explain how to use these op-
tions properly.”
Bennett said that the
program also includes in-
formation on behavioural
strategies that are needed
to overcome the addiction
to nicotine as well as break-
ing the habits associated
with the act of smoking.
“Quitting is not just
about nicotine withdrawals
– we have to tackle habits.
“I have told people that
quitting a substance is the
easy part and the hard part
is learning to live without
it and break those behav-
iours. It’s about separating
behaviours from the addic-
tion,” Bennett said.
The QuitCore program
aims to give people tools and
support to stop smoking. The
group setting and support
system is, according to Ben-
nett, a more effective way of
quitting than trying to do so
without help or support.
“You are two times more
likely to be successful in
quitting if you do it in a sup-
portive environment. I spend
no time on the health effects
in this program because I
know that doesn’t motivate
people. Most people who
smoke know the risks of
smoking – we really focus on
what people can gain to quit.
We tell them what they will
get from this instead of what
they will lose.”
The program offers in-
formation on the multiple
aspects of overcoming a
nicotine addiction.
Part of this information
is correcting myths about
quitting and the various
programs offered by AHS
that include telephone and
online support services,
one-on-one counselling and
group cessation programs
like QuitCore.
Bennett says that one of
the more popular myths
surrounding smoking ces-
sation is the idea that a
person can’t keep smoking
while they’re on a patch,
which she assures is false.
Another that she said she
hears frequently is the mis-
conception that a person
would gain weight due to
quitting smoking.
“A lot of times our per-
ception of quitting is much
darker than it really is.
What I mean by that is peo-
ple fear the withdrawal and
that kind of makes it diffi -
cult for them,” she said.
“In regards to weight
gain, you’d have to gain
175 pounds for it to have
the same impact on your
health as smoking does. Of-
ten, people only gain a few
pounds and that is more
to do with the behavioural
habits, and we explain how
that works.”
Bennett said that the
program does not include
e-cigarettes as an Alberta
Health Services tested and
approved method of smok-
ing cessation.
The program is not lim-
ited to people who have de-
cided to quit smoking. Ben-
nett said it is really made
for anyone who wishes to
change their tobacco habit
and improve his or her
health. Around the fourth
week, some goal setting
strategies are provided and
encouraged but are not
made mandatory to any-
one.
kmendonsa@reddeerexpress
Support and tools to stop smoking with QuitCore
BY MARK WEBERRed Deer Express
It’s a curious thing that
it’s at this time of year –
more than any other – that
so many pledge to launch
at times very dramatic life-
style changes.
Only to see their fi red-up
resolve melt away as the
dreary mid-winter months
unfold.
Yes, it’s the post-Christ-
mas season of dreaming
up a fl urry of New Year’s
Resolutions, from quit-
ting smoking to shedding
pounds to getting in the
best shape of our lives. But
how effective is this yearly
routine?
According to Wikipedia,
the most popular reso-
lutions are plans to lose
weight, pay off debts, save
money, get a better job, get
fi t, eat right, get a better
education, drink less, quit
smoking, reduce stress,
take a trip or volunteer
more.
But unfortunately, most
people, regardless of their
specifi c New Year’s resolu-
tions, see plans fall fl at by
February.
And it’s the usual ones
that seem to fall by the way-
side – efforts to lose weight,
a goal to learn something
new, travel, stepping up on
volunteering or getting out
of debt.
Where is a lasting sense
of ‘stick-to-it-tiveness?’
According to Dr. Pauline
Wallin, a clinical psycholo-
gist based in Camp Hill,
Pennsylvania, during the
month of December people
tend to overindulge in eat-
ing, drinking, spending
money and neglecting ex-
ercise.
And unfortunately some
bad behaviours start to sur-
face.
But the resolve to change
behaviours is at its peak
when people feel full or
broke, she said.
“It’s easy to think about
going on a diet as we groan
from a bloating holiday
meal. It’s no problem to
plan to quit smoking when
we’ve just had a cigarette
and replenished our nico-
tine level. At this point we
feel confi dent about our
New Year’s resolutions
because we have not yet
confronted any prolonged
physical deprivation or dis-
comfort.”
When January dawns,
people are generally done
with all the rich food and
the lethargy that often
trails such over-indul-
gence.
So it’s easy to shell out
the cash for the gym mem-
bership, for example. But
appetites for bad foods, pas-
sivity or smokes eventually
resurface.
So resolutions tend to get
pushed further ahead.
But human nature being
what it is, our behaviour
isn’t likely to change much
when the weather warms
up.
So why do people ditch
resolutions? Well, for one
thing, we are a society that
clamours for quick results
in so many ways.
Wallin said folks become
discouraged when results
don’t come as fast as we
would want them to.
So she offers a few tips
to help ensure success as
people consider how to bet-
ter their lives with the New
Year. First, examine your
motivation for change.
“If you can’t think of a
better reason than the fact
that you’re uncomfortable
at this moment, then you’re
better off not making
promises to yourself that
you probably won’t keep.”
But, as she points out, if
you are realistic and accept
the responsibility of disci-
pline required for change,
“Your motivation will be
sustained long after the
discomfort from overindul-
gence has passed.”
Secondly, set realistic
goals and focus on behav-
ioural change more than
the goal. And whatever your
plans, put them into motion
now.
Writer Phil Cooke said
real change is one of the
most diffi cult things we’ll
ever tackle in our lives.
Let’s face it - even the threat
of death isn’t enough to
change some folks’ behav-
iour. We all know of people
who have been about the
consequences that await
them if they don’t change
a certain behaviour – and
they opt not to.
On the web site
ChurchLeaders.com, he
cites a study that showed
within only two years, 90%
of open-heart surgery pa-
tients go back to their old
eating habits – “The same
lifestyle that got them there
in the fi rst place.”
For real change to hap-
pen in our lives, we need
more than wishes and reso-
lutions, he writes.
“We need to understand
how to embrace the kinds
of techniques that allow
real transformation to hap-
pen.”
A circle of consistent
support can also do won-
ders in our endeavors to
live better, richer or more
disciplined lives.
“Surround yourself
with friends who believe
in you, and eliminate nega-
tive people from your life.
Spend less time with people
who drain your energy and
resources, and more time
with people who love and
support your dreams and
goals.”
Finding support is a key to success in lifestyle change
12 Red Deer Express • New Year, New You Wednesday, January 7, 2015
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