The new year has arrived and you know what that means – goals, diets and overfilled fitness classes. For those looking to make longterm health and lifestyle changes, the new year often brings headaches and heavy sighs. In the flurry of discounted memberships, new training styles and demanding contracts, you can easily get lost in the noise and shy away from making the significant health changes needed in order to live a higher quality of life.
LIVE WELL is a medical fitness clinic built on the belief that exercise is medicine. With locations throughout BC, including two here in North Delta and Surrey, their evidence-based programs are designed to help those struggling with health issues such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension or heart disease. It’s also ideal for those taking a proactive approach to their health to avoid health problems down the road.
Members come to LIVE WELL Exercise Clinic for many reasons – lose weight, lower cholesterol, improve blood pressure, have more energy or combat stress. Regardless of who you are or where you come from, you’ll find an inclusive environment where all are welcome.
So how is it doing? We asked four North Delta and Surrey residents to share how LIVE WELL Exercise Clinic has changed their lives.
Specialized training programs in a supervised setting
“I joined LIVE WELL because I needed an exercise program that would help alleviate the chronic pain of fibromyalgia and arthritis and help my body move with more freedom,” says member Connie Godfrey. “My program is built upon the exercises my body needs to heal and become stronger, while tracking and monitoring my progress.”
Connie has come to LIVE WELL for two years and now frequents the newly opened North Delta clinic. At 50, her health is more important to her than ever before.
“The incredibly fun, knowledgeable and caring staff take the time to check in with each member on a personal level. The clinics are staffed with highly trained and educated Clinical Exercise Physiologists and Kinesiologists, and sessions are fully supervised so you know you’re in a safe space where your program has been designed for your medical history and health goals.”
But there’s more here than exercise!
“I’ve been able to use tools that I’ve gained through my emotional recovery, to push myself forward in my physical recovery through exercising at LIVE WELL. I also have a lot better balance, more confidence, and feel better after exercising.”
As part of their clinically focussed approach to wellness, LIVE WELL also offers advice on healthy eating, with on-site health coaches sharing the role nutrition plays in a healthy lifestyle.
“The accountability of having a health coach keeps me honest and real about the foods I eat and my activity level,” Connie says.
The power of community
Cecilia Valenzuela joined LIVE WELL’s Surrey location in 2017, enjoying workouts designed for her unique health and fitness needs. Taking into account her abilities and limitations, her routines constantly evolve with her changing health.
“I have chronic and painful joint issues because of Lupus and Fibromyalgia. I also had liver failure in 2013 and kidney failure and pnuemonia with bilateral collapsed lungs in 2016. I couldn’t even laugh. I needed an exercise program created for my health challenges.”
Today, Cecilia’s regular exercise program has made her pain more manageable, reducing the number of flare-ups and related hospital visits.
She’s also seen other health benefits, too. “I’m more flexible and my cardiovascular health has improved. I could only walk five minutes and now I’m walking over an hour. My strength has increased, I’ve lost weight and I’ve reduced my waist and hip measurements by four inches!”
Often members enter the program as a couple or with a friend. Whether it’s someone you already know or a friend you make by joining, it’s just part of the support network built into the LIVE WELL community. In fact, only a year after Cecilia joined, her husband Victor also joined LIVE WELL in Surrey.
“I’ve had three car accidents, the last one was in 2018. My memory is still affected and I have chronic pain from my neck to my lower back,” Victor says. Since joining the program, he’s seen improvements to his pain levels, strength and flexibility.
For Victor, safety and supervision are key. “My Clinical Exercise Physiologist challenges me to do more and I know the exercises he prescribes to me are safe. I like the attention I get from the staff and I’m confident in their advice.”
Working with your Physician
After reading about LIVE WELL’s clinical approach to health, Qamrul Mohammed joined as a North Delta member even before that clinic opened last spring.
“My clinical team at LIVE WELL tracks vitals such as blood pressure, weight, heart rate and body measurements. After a baseline assessment at the beginning of the program, regular assessments let me see the real positive changes occurring in my body.”
Qamrul’s progress is regularly reported to her family physician. In fact, LIVE WELL works closely with members’ physicians to create plans geared toward improving their health – a truly unique and powerful feature of the program.
“The positive atmosphere and culture of support and encouragement all help me achieve my overall health vision: To improve my health and live the best quality of life I can,” Qamrul explains.
What keeps Qamrul at LIVE WELL? “The welcoming staff, their genuine concern for my well-being and their expertise. Today, I can garden for longer periods with no shoulder pain. I have lost weight, have more energy during the day and feel good about myself.”
If you’re trying to lose weight, reduce cholesterol or blood pressure, or simply want to get healthier, LIVE WELL Exercise Clinic can help. But because of their attentive care, LIVE WELL Exercise Clinic only accepts 300 members in each new clinic, so if you’re in North Delta or Surrey, act fast!
