Red River College Athletics and Recreation Services offers Group Fitness Programs suited to all interests and fitness levels. Our highly trained and enthusiastic instructors will lead you through a fun and challenging workout suited to you.

Registered Programs for 2016 Spring Term

Classes scheduled for spring term.

Spring Fling with Jesse and Lesley. Tuesdays from 12:05pm to 12:50pm. A quick 3 class session to be used as your wellness bridge from Winter to Spring Terms!

Yoga with Amanda on Mondays from 4:15pm to 5:15pm

Boot Camps with Jesse on Tuesdays from 12:05pm to 12:50pm

Dynamic Core with Lesley on Thursdays from 12:05pm to 12:50pm

Fitness Classes Now Free for Students!!!

Starting in 2016, all Fitness Classes are free to use for RRC Students. Students can fill out Fitness Class registration form, minus payment, and drop it off at GM20 in the North Gym or email to Recreation Coordinator Cole Skinner @ coskinner@rrc.ca. Students are also welcome to drop in the fitness classes as well, provided space is available.

Info

Spring Classes will start April 5th and run until June 27th.

Drop in cards for 5 or 10 classes per term can also be purchased.

Register

To register for a class download the 2016 Spring Fitness Classes Registration Form, if your staff, alumni or community user fill it out and take it to the Student Service Centre to make a payment.  If you are a student, please complete form and drop off at front desk in the North Gym.

Written by EDC Student Support Services staff

There was no mystery as to why Student Support Services staff in P210 chose to walk…and walk, and walk and walk some more. Mere moments after the gauntlet had been dropped from the Wellness Committee’s Get Movin’ Challenge, a much bigger gauntlet was thrown down by the self-appointed wellness subcommittee at EDC…

The EDC P210 side challenge: Choose a goal to smash – not meet, smash – which must exceed 7,000 steps to be eligible for the College challenge, as well as the P210 challenge.  Armed with electronic-step-tracking arm candy, eight participants competed for this winner-takes-all side challenge.

Our leaderboard

The participants had their own reasons and benefits why they took on this challenge. But the office leaderboard, which strikingly resembled the mountain climber from The Price is Right (see pictures), provided added motivation.

Apropos for someone in an applied post-secondary environment, the subcommittee converted the participants’ ongoing progress to something we could relate to in our day-to-day lives.

The climber from The Price is Right

Here’s a snapshot of an application shout-out:

“So far, we have clocked over 2.5 million steps collectively – we could be high fiving with the polar bears in Churchill by now! We totally crushed the 7,000 step requirement to qualify for the Get Movin’ Challenge.”

On Feb 29^th, 3.5 million collective steps later, the stepper with the highest percentage of their goal exceeded (coupled with the largest calves) was announced winner.

The P210 crew can’t glory in this moment though – they’ve been handed their next wellness assignment. Stakes are high – the winner will walk away with a score of items which could include:

• A winner and not “please play again” coffee rim
• An unopened One Direction CD
• A PaintNite painting

The step challenge can definitely take on another form which resonates with your department; here was an example from the Exchange District Campus.

We so look forward to reading yours!

March is Nutrition Month!

Eating well can boost your health and help you feel your best. Almost half of Canadians (45%) say, that eating healthy meals and snacks while at work is challenging, according to an Ipsos Reid poll conducted for Dietitians of Canada[1].

National Nutrition Month is brought to you by the Dietitians of Canada every March and this years’ campaign slogan is Take a 100 meal Journey. The Nutrition Month 2016 is dedicated to making small healthy changes to your eating habits and making them stick.

Are you running short on time and often resort to eating out, or feel stressed when it comes to preparing meals? We all have time constraints and challenges that can alter our eating habits. Dietitians of Canada has provided some great strategies to help you make small kitchen changes, and make them stick! Click here to view the fact sheet providing suggested healthy snacks, meal prep, cooking tricks, and snacking recommendations.

This fact sheet also has great strategies to put in place if you find yourself eating out of boredom or when you’re distracted.

How much you eat can be just as important as what you eat. Click here and follow the steps outlined on this fact sheet to help you keep track of healthy portion sizes. This strategy has you using your hand to estimate portion sizes.

For more fact sheets and additional details on Nutrition Month including eating tips and recipes, visit the ‘Dieticians of Canada’ website here.

Supporting Your Wellness

The LifeWorks website contains useful tools and articles to help you budget, save for a strong future, and weather difficult financial times. You even have access to seminars at www.lifeworks.com.

This month the recommended Podcast is ‘Building your Financial Resilience’. Take charge of your finances!

[1] ©Dietitians of Canada. Nutrition Month 2015: Eating 9 to 5. February 24, 2015. http://www.dietitians.ca/media/news-releases/2015/nutritionmonth2015.aspx.

The Wellness Committee is hosting its first ever “Get Movin’ Challenge”. For the entire month of February, challenge yourself, your co-workers and fellow students to stop sitting and start moving.

Dates:
Participation- February 1-29
Prize Day- Thursday March 3

Signing Up!
Sign-up by email at wellness@rrc.ca

Counting Your Steps!
It’s easy! Use your smartphone, fitness band or a pedometer

Smart phone Apps Examples:
IPhone- Steps, Pacer, Pedometer
Android- S Health, Google Fit, Pedometer
BlackBerry- Casca/Sports Run Tracker Pro, Sports Tracker, Endomondo

Step Conversion Chart

Some activities do not allow for a pedometer to be used, or perhaps you would rather count your steps/exercise/activity without one. No problem. You can use the following Step Conversion Charts to mark your progress! Below are to separate but similar conversion charts, use whichever one that works best for you and get active!

Purdue University Activity Converter

Step Conversion Chart

Incentives/Prize Structure: Participants will gain entry into each prize category if they complete a specific minimum number of days in which they achieve 7,000 steps per day. There will be 3 prize levels:

Bronze Level-10 days completed: Prizes included- Gatorade bottles, Gatorade towels, Gatorade powder tins, yoga mats, Rebels swag, Ladderball Set, Gym Bag

Silver Level– 15 days completed: Prizes included- Manitoba Moose tickets, Free Rec Services Fitness Class, Free RRC Gym Membership, Free Massage session with Jason Mtthes @ AAA Mobile Massage Therapy, Free Athletic Therapy Session with Andrea Wazney @ Rebels Athletics, Free Athletic Therapy Session with Stephanie Smith @ Rebels Athletics

Gold Level– 20 days competed: $250 Gift Certificate from Sport Chek, Thermea Spa Package, (2) Fitbit Wristbands

Example: If Jill reaches 7,000 steps per day for 21 of the days, she is entered once in each level draw. If Joe reaches 7,000 steps per day for 17 of the days, he is entered once into the Bronze and Silver levels.

All participants will be self-reporting.

Get Movin Challenge Booklet

Get Movin Challenge-PDF Tracker

Prize Day

Will occur Thursday March 3rd 12:00-12:45pm, at the Cave on NDC. Participants will hand in their log books to the committee, which are then entered into the various prize categories. Persons who cannot attend in person can submit results beforehand by email to wellness@rrc.ca. 

The cutoff to enter results in person is 12:30pm, Thursday March 3rd. 

Cutoff to enter results via email is 3:00pm, Wednesday March 2nd. 

The draw will commence at 12:30pm, Thursday March 3rd with the winners announced.

Ways to Get Movin’!

The more days you achieve your goal, the better the prizes. Use a wide array of physical activities to reach your goal, walking, running, biking, dancing, swimming, etc. It’s all about being active! Try using the stairs instead of an elevator, have a walking meeting rather than sitting, park a little farther from grocery store. It all adds up!

Have you ever been so tired that you can barely keep your eyes open? Or how about that horrible groggy, sluggish feeling after a night of tossing and turning that no matter how much coffee you drink, doesn’t go away?

Hopefully, you don’t feel this way often. If you do, you’re probably suffering from lack of sleep or poor quality sleep. Both can be detrimental to your daily functioning and ability to pay attention and do well at school.

If you want to do something about feeling so tired (who wouldn’t?), try these tips for getting some high quality shut-eye:

• Create a healthy sleep environment. Ensure your bedroom temperature is on the cool side and that your room is dark. You also might want to try some white-noise in the background. This could be a fan on a low setting or some soothing, soft music.
• Exercise: Being physically active during the day can help regulate your sleep pattern. Just be sure to try and finish physical activity at least three hours before bedtime.
• Park it. Set aside some time an hour before you head to bed to make a to-do list for the next day. This will free up your mind for the night and enhance the quality of your sleep. Just promise yourself once the list is complete, that’s it for the night!
• Head to bed and wake up at the same time. Get in the habit of going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day, even on the weekends (I know, this can be tough). This will help regulate your body’s internal clock, which will make it easier to get up and start the day without feeling sluggish.
• Wind your mind and body down. Do something relaxing before you sleep. Reading a book or listening to calming music are both good winding-down activities. Try to stay away from electronic screens (laptop, smartphone) right before heading to sleep as the brightness stimulates your brain and can make you feel alert. Still not sleepy? Try drinking some warm milk or having a light snack.
• Deep breathing. Thinking about your breathing as you lay in bed can help calm you down and reduce anxiety. Here is one breathing exercise you might want to try.
• Reflect. Think about what you did that day, everything you accomplished and things that you’re grateful for. This will leave you feeling calm and positive as you drift off.

Want more info on sleep? Visit the National Sleep Foundation.

Using drugs or alcohol is a personal choice. Some students don’t use either, while others choose to use one or both recreationally, or more often.

If you are choosing to use drugs or alcohol, it’s important to keep in mind how they can affect you. It’s also important to know that if you think your drinking or drug use is problematic, that there are many resources available to you.

Only you can truly know whether or not your consumption of alcohol and drugs is a problem. If you’re not sure if you have a problem but want to try taking more control of your alcohol or drug use, here are some strategies that may be helpful.

• Make a list of the advantages and disadvantages of your alcohol or drug use. Which list is longer? Do you want the disadvantages list to shrink?
• Keep a journal of your alcohol or drug consumption. At the end of two weeks, look back at what you wrote down. Did you consume more or less than you expected? How does this information make you feel?
• Get some feedback from someone you really trust. Do they think there is cause for concern?
• Try limiting your exposure to social events that involve alcohol and drugs. How do you feel about not being there? Do you miss hanging out with friends, the alcohol or drugs, or both?
• Think about what emotions trigger your alcohol consumption and drug use. Do you tend to drink or use drugs when you feel certain emotions? Are there any alternatives to dealing with these feelings?
• You may want to try a month of abstinence. Is it easy or difficult for you to stop your alcohol or drug use?

Counselling and Accessibility Services is there to help if you are dealing with substance abuse or addiction. If you would like to make an appointment, please complete the online intake form and someone will contact you to set up an appointment.

Being true to yourself

Coming out as gay or lesbian is an amazing time because it means you’re ready to be 100 per cent true to yourself. But it can also be scary for some people.

It’s important to accept and like yourself for who you are. Your sexual identity is a part of you, but it’s not everything about who you are. You are still the same person you always have been, you are now just sharing another piece of your identity that was always there.

Preparing to come out

When you are coming out to your family and friends, sadly, there are some things you should consider in order to protect yourself. Unfortunately, some people may not accept you right away and others may not want to continue a friendship with you. If you are coming out, look for hints about what people’s beliefs systems are ahead of time. Do they know other LGBTT* people? Have they demonstrated openness and acceptance of the LGBTT* community or have they shown intolerance and discrimination? The answers to these questions can give you clues about how people might react, but keep in mind that some people who you thought were accepting may show they are not, and people who you thought were discriminatory might surprise you.

Preparing yourself emotionally for whatever the outcome might be is important. Sometimes you end up having to be a support to people that might become emotional themselves, so when you are coming out, it is important to be in a place where you’re comfortable with who you are and are strong in your sense of self. This is one of the few times in life when a special moment that should be all about you (coming out) can turn into a moment that’s all about them! Be ready to be a support or offer people you are coming out to more information.

Something else to consider when coming out is your safety. Safety comes in many forms — this can be your physical safety but also safety in terms of housing and support. If you come out to your family, will they be accepting? Will you be allowed to stay at home or is your housing at risk? Are you financially dependent on your family? Will this be cut off? If you think these things may be at risk, consider this in your decision to come out to your family and how you may need to make plans that will ensure your safety and well-being.

Supports at RRC

At the College, you will have a lot of support if you choose to come out. Counselling and Accessibility Services has counsellors who are available to support students around personal issues such as coming out, as well as academic issues.

Red River College also has an LGBTT* Initiative Program that identifies, trains and supports allies at the College. The Initiative works to create a safe and inclusive environment at the College so all students have the opportunity to learn and feel supported.

There is also a new LGBTT student group that has formed at Red River College. Information on this group can be found on their Facebook page.

Supports in the community

Outside of the College, there are many great supports and ways to get involved in the LGBTT* community. The Rainbow Resource Centre provides counselling and support, access to resources and a library and ways to get involved in social events and with volunteer opportunities. The Centre can also help connect you with other community groups, supports and services outside of the College.

What kind of supports did you find helpful when you were coming out? Tell us in the comment section below!

It may sound simple, but one way to help maintain a balanced mood is to eat healthy. Just as there is a relationship between food and our bodies, there is a connection between food and our minds.

Eating lots of fruits and vegetables is always good for us, but there are also other foods containing important vitamins and minerals that contribute to our overall mental health. Here are some to be sure to grab the next time you’re out grocery shopping!

• Beans, peas and lentils 


Folic acid is one of the B vitamins that’s linked to the “feel good” chemicals in the brain — serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. This is why people with a folate-deficiency have been found to experience symptoms such as irritability, fatigue and depression.
B vitamins including folate are destroyed by substances such as alcohol, refined sugars and nicotine and are not stored in the body long-term so you have to make sure to consumer them regularly.

• Nuts and seeds

People with low levels of selenium, an important mineral for overall brain functioning, tend to feel more anxious, depressed and tired. Brazil nuts as well as pumpkin and sunflower seeds are a great source of selenium, so head out to Bulk Barn this week and stock up! Your mood will thank you.

• Whole grains


Zinc plays a role in modulating the brain and body’s response to stress and a zinc-deficiency can lead to symptoms of depression. Whole grains such as whole wheat bread and pasta, wild rice and quinoa contain high levels of zinc.

Whole grains are also naturally rich in an amino acid called tryptophan, which your body needs to produce serotonin and melatonin. Serotonin, the “feel-good hormone,” improves mood and relaxes brain and body, while melatonin helps establish and maintain steady sleep cycles. All in all, whole grains are pretty awesome so make sure you’re getting your three to five servings per day!

• Salmon and tuna


Studies suggest that Omega-3 Fatty Acids have a mood-stabilizing effect and may protect against depression and other mood disorders. Other sources of omega-3 Fatty Acids include canola, flax seed or walnuts.

Click here for more information on the relationship between food and mental health.

Thanks to Kathleen McClinton, registered dietician, for sharing information and insight that helped to create this blog post.

Rebels Athletics and Recreation Services are excited to bring the Lunch and Learn series to the college this school year. Come participate and interact with fitness, exercise, and wellness professionals as they present on wide array of active living topics.

2015 Spring Session

First Session – Nutrition Myths Busted

Date: Monday, March 30
Time: 12:00-1:00pm
Location: Green Lecture Theatre
Host: Janelle Vincent

Whole grain bread or rye bread? Butter or margarine? Gluten or no gluten? If you’ve asked yourself these questions, come and join us for this exciting Lunch and Learn, where we will discuss healthy eating and bust nutrition myths!

About the Host

Janelle is a Registered Dietitian with a passion for sport! She completed a Kinesiology degree prior to her Human Nutritional Sciences degree and recently completed the IOC Diploma in Sports Nutrition. She was a Bison athlete in Cross-Country and Track and Field and is also a Competition Development (Level 3) trained coach in Athletics. She currently works with various athletes and teams representative of various levels of competition, from endurance to strength/power to precision/skill sports.

Her goals in sport nutrition are to combine both university degrees and her sporting background to help high performance athletes achieve their athletic goals by guiding them in properly fuelling their bodies.

Second Session –
Running Efficiency: How to Train: Best practices!

Date: Wednesday, April 22
Time: 12:00-1:00pm
Location: North Gym
Host: Sheldon Reynolds

Whether you are training for soccer, ultimate Frisbee or a marathon there are basic similarities in running strides. Participants should wear running attire. Dress in layers. Shorts, t-short, sweats or tights and a sweatshirt or light jacket. You will learn, technique, training, and nutrition in preparation for competition. If you have any specific questions regarding specific training for a 10km, ½ marathon….bring them!

About the Host

Sheldon Reynolds, a lifelong runner will facilitate this active session. He has coached learn to train athletes as well as adult instructors in the Athletics Canada Run, jump and Throw program. Sheldon is an endurance athlete in the Active for life stage that has competed in races from 1,500 meters to the marathons and completed Ironman Wisconsin in 2010.

Third Session – Biking 101-Part 1

Date: Wednesday, May 13
Time: 12:00-1:00pm
Location: Green Lecture Theatre
Host: Dave Elmore

Biking basics: Sizing and purchasing advise on where to get a bike and as well where to purchase bikes from. Basic maintenance and preparing for your bike ride also discussed.

About the Host

Dave Elmore is a certified CAN-Bike Master Instructor and was a founding member of Bike Winnipeg. He served as the Director of Safety and Education for over 6 years and remains active serving on several committees. CAN-Bike is a national program run by Cycling Canada offering a variety of courses on all aspects of cycling safety and skills. An avid road and commuter cyclist, Dave has been commuting by bike from Charleswood to downtown for over 25 years. He is also the project manager for Bike Week Winnipeg and the former project manager of Bike to School Winnipeg (now coordinated by Green Action Centre). A regular volunteer at The WRENCH, Dave enjoys building and repairing bikes of all kinds.

Fourth Session – Biking 101-Part 2

Date: Wednesday, May 27
Time: 12:00-1:00pm
Location: PH Staff Parking
Host: Dave Elmore

Taking it on the road: ABC Quick Check – how to quickly check that your bike is safe to ride. Skill component: learn some basic and often overlooked skills that can help you be more confident and safe on your bike. (straight line riding (w/shoulder checks and signals), rock dodge, quick turns, panic stops). Please bring your own bike to this session. Rec services has a limited amount of bikes that can be used.

Everyone experiences guilt at one time or another during their life. While some guilt can induce positive change, it can also become self-destructive, wasting energy and adding unnecessary stress to your life.

Read on for some tips on processing these feelings so that you can eliminate, or at least minimize, your guilt.

• Choose not to rehearse guilt. 
Do you find yourself repeating the same guilty thoughts over and over again? They won’t go away on their own. You must choose to make them stop. 

To do so, make an effort to catch yourself when you find yourself wandering down that painful mental path. Put up a mental stop sign. You can also choose a physical action, such as snapping your fingers, to remind yourself to change direction. Then, deliberately focus on something else, such as your plans for tomorrow. Focusing on something positive in the future is a conscious reminder that there is more to your life than negatives from the past.
  
• Choose to accept what cannot be changed. 
Chances are you’ve already changed anything that needed to be changed about the situation so a self-imposed “penance” for past mistakes accomplishes nothing. It doesn’t change or make up for the past, it simply ruins your future. The proactive thing you can do now is accept that the only thing you can change is your future.
• Choose balance. Guilt keeps us focused on the times we imagine we failed. It blinds us to all the other times when we were successful. So the next time your mind drifts into unhappy, guilty thoughts, choose to refocus. Actively remind yourself of times where you made good decisions, were responsible or did something you were proud of. Write down a list of the things you did. Force yourself to remember what went right. Recognize that there is, and always has been, a balance between your failures and your successes.
  
• Choose forgiveness. 
Forgiveness is a necessity in any relationship, including the one you have with yourself. Treat yourself with the same degree of love and acceptance that others give you and that you give others. Only then will you be able to heal.

The world benefits from individuals who choose to learn from their mistakes and move on to make a difference. Don’t let guilt keep you locked in a lifetime of misery. Choose to forgive, to love, and to move forward.