Dr. Andrianna Qandah, ND
1255 Sheppard Ave E M2K 1E2 Toronto, ON, Canada

If anyone is looking for a variety of virtual fitness classes with a motivating group of individuals, check out Zellador Wellness & Fitness! Thank you, Zellador, for having me speak today about optimizing weight loss by implementing healthy and long-term lifestyle habits.

no gym, no problem Going into week 5 of no gym and I have to admit, I’m getting antsy (af) to hit some 1RM squats and deadlifts real soon. In the mean time, I think it’s important to know how to maximize the benefits of your at-home workouts, especially if muscle strength and hypertrophy are your goals. It’s easy to feel discouraged if you currently have minimal to no equipment. Although you may lose some strength without consistent progressive overload, you can still in fact... not only minimize muscle loss, but even increase gains during quarantine. How? The majority of research suggests that low loads can lead to nearly identical improvements in muscle mass when performed close to failure. Furthermore, some people think that unless you feel a pump or super sore after every workout (delayed onset muscle soreness), you’re not making any fitness gains nothing could be further from the truth. Instead focus on performing sets close to failure, practicing muscle-mind connection for proper muscle activation, including a variety of exercises in your workouts, and prioritizing training as a part of your daily routine. How have you been maintaining your physical activity during quarantine? Disclaimer: This post is not medical advice and only for educational purposes. Be mindful that there are other important factors that contribute to fitness levels and muscle growth such as nutrition, sleep, training consistency, etc. @ Detroit, Michigan

| cleansing the feed // @topcretephoto

the mindfulness struggle I’m currently sitting in a coffee shop preparing a presentation about mindfulness for my externship. I low key laughed when my supervising doctor told me I’d be leading the series of seminars I feel like a complete fraud. I get a high from planning. My brain loves to plan. And freak out when the plan doesn’t go as planned. My thoughts are often about what’s next in my day instead of focusing on what’s happening in the present c...heck, check, go, freak out, check, go, check, repeat. Cue the anxiety. Anyone else have a similar mindfulness struggle? Don’t get me wrong, I’m very aware of the benefits of practicing mindfulness ranging from psychological to physiological. Shoot, I even often prescribe it to my patients. And although I’m curious, I haven’t been motivated to continue my personal journey. Until now. I mean, I hardly look or act like the mindful type. But here’s the cool thing mindfulness isn’t about being perfect. Nor is it the same for everyone. There are countless of mindfulness techniques we can choose from and most have one thing in common: cultivating calmness and clarity to promote intentional awareness of the PRESENT moment. And it takes practice. So as I sit here and research studies and sources for my lecture, I’d love to hear if and how YOU practice mindfulness in the comments! // @spoonforthought See more