Colleen Bains does TRX suspension training exercise at Panorama Recreation Centre, where she participates in Be Your Best This Summer, a program with the PRC and the Peninsula News Review to help people reach healthy goals.

Colleen Bains does TRX suspension training exercise at Panorama Recreation Centre, where she participates in Be Your Best This Summer, a program with the PRC and the Peninsula News Review to help people reach healthy goals.

Be Your Best This Summer: Facebook

Health program gets high tech with participants' going online to encourage each other

  • Apr. 26, 2012 10:00 a.m.

Committment is critical for Monique Huber. Having made her promise to attend the Be Your Best This Summer program – a partnership between Panorama Recreation and the Peninsula News Review.

“It’s nice to have a set time to go. It’s helpful for me,” the Sidney mom said. “I don’t have the motivation to continue going on my own. I think it’s really helpful being in the group where everyone’s at the same starting point. It makes me feel more comfortable.”

Huber’s goals included losing weight and toning up. She’s already dropped about five pounds.

Alongside Huber, Melanie Kerr, Shauna Johnson, Christy Day, Michael Hall, Jennifer Verscheure, Colleen Baines and Debbie Taylor are working on a 12-week workout plan they started the first week of April.

The group is led by Panorama’s Michelle Bourgeois and Adrianne Gadd.

“The instructors are awesome,” Huber said. “I was worried about spin, because I tried it once before … and I hadn’t worked out for a really long time. My legs were so sore and I felt really nauseous and I didn’t go back, because I felt intimidated. But the instructors have been so helpful and ease you into the workouts. They help me feel comfortable working out.”

As well, Bourgeois sends out notes to keep spirits up, and suggest some nutritious menu options and recipes. These helpful tidbits prompted Huber to add another component to the program. She created the Be Your Best for Summer 2012 Facebook page where the crew documents progress, recipes and tips.

“I use Facebook often, I just find it really useful. I thought it would be a good way for us to communicate with each other, “ she said. “It’s a closed group but it’s open to view from the public.”

 

The News Review will follow the eight participants on their adventure into wellness as each works to Be Your Best This Summer.

 

 

Peninsula News Review