Winnipeggers Workin' It

"Less Garbage Food, More of the Better Food" - Written by Meg

Two years ago Weight-gain and the chore of getting older has caused social services worker Melody Crane, and her husband and lawyer Ted Crane, to become concerned about their health. Their concern led them to sign up for Maximized Living.

“It’s an actual lifestyle.  It’s a program through the Chiropractors Association, made up of chiropractors in Winnipeg.  It’s a holistic sort of a lifestyle.  It has to do with healthy mind, healthy body, healthy spine, and avoiding toxins,” said Melody.

Their diet has changed a lot – they no longer consume grains or sugar, and eat mostly organic foods.

They say that since starting Maximized Living, they have more energy, need less sleep, are more alert and have a greater sense of well-being.  But does it come at great cost?

“People think it’s more expensive (to buy organic), but I find that because I’m not buying a lot of processed food - I stick to the very basics like meat, dried beans, and stuff like that.  You end up buying less of the garbage food and more of the better food”

“It’s really not more expensive.  You get better value for your money,” said Ted.

In addition to changing their diet to incorporate more healthy foods, the Cranes have also started living a more active lifestyle.

“People seem to think you have to exercise for an hour, two hours to work out,” said Melody. 

But for the Cranes, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Maximized Living has workout videos that are 20 minutes which they recommend people do a few times a week, and so far, Melody and Ted have followed suit and have been happy with their results.

Although they enjoy Maximized Living’s workout videos, they like to switch up their physical activity by doing simple things like taking their dog Sasha for walks.

 Every little bit counts, and there are so many ways to incorporate healthy eating and exercise to your dial routine. You just have the drive to get started and the will to see it through.

"Eventually you will notice a difference." - Written by Jamie Mckay

Jaycy Jaminal

Have you met Jaycy Jaminal yet?  Jaycy is a former Winnipegger who recently moved to Vancouver, British Columbia.  As a bigger guy all of his life, Jaycy has decided to gain control over his weight and general health.  He has created a fun and inspiring web series on YouTube to share his weight loss journey.  He hopes to reach others and motivate them to reach their goals.

Losing weight isn’t just about the number on the scale.  For Jaycy, losing weight is part of a bigger picture of health, happiness, and growth as a person learning to adapt to what life throws at him.  “I always assigned a target - 10 pounds, 20 pounds - and I was never motivated enough.  What worked for me is when people would say, ‘Hey, you look fantastic! You must have lost weight!’”

A huge factor in Jaycy’s success is his positive attitude.  He has spent the majority of his life being positive, setting goals, and knowing what he is capable of.  “I always achieve what I set my mind to.  Regardless of what happens, I'll always do things with a smile.  Paths change all the time and you should never think back on it and wonder about what could have happened.”

Having a strong support system has also helped Jaycy with his goal.  His family is his biggest motivation for weight loss and he has realized his health is important in being able to work hard for the people he loves.

Finding it hard to stay motivated?

Losing weight is hard but Jaycy is full of good advice.  He has several ways to keep things interesting.  One thing he recommends is doing workouts that don’t really seem like exercise.  Keep your mind off the “losing weight thing” altogether by doing an activity that is fun and enjoyable, like swimming or basketball.  After scoring a few baskets, you’ll barely notice your body is hard at work. Another method he uses includes imagining that one pound equals one dollar and that he is “buying” the body he visualizes with each run, hike, and training session.

“Eventually it will get better.  Eventually you will notice a difference.  All you need to do is say, YES!”

Jaycy wants to motivate others and show that “regardless of your situation, you can still make the best of out of things and smile at the end of the day.”  Again, it’s the positive attitude he totes around with him that has remained a powerful tool in setting his goals and achieving them.

“Positivity applies to everything.  As long we know it's possible and that it's happened, why not pursue what we love with a positive attitude?”

Check out Episode 1 of Jaycy's weight loss web series and and let us know what you think!