Give the greatest gift you can give this year, give your Dad the gift of health!  Thanks to Dr Andrew Weil for this idea.  I believe you can honour your Father by helping him take care of his health, so that he can continue to be the best dad for you.

There are lots of ways to do this, especially with the weather finally becoming seasonal.  Anything to get your dad enjoying the outdoors is a great idea.  Gear for biking, golfing, hiking are good stand-bys.  But why not try something even more fitness oriented?  I think a great work-out tool that anyone would love to have, especially for doing a full body work-out, is the TRX system.  This is a set of straps and handles that can be used anywhere there is a tree branch or post.  A great way to get fit outside, and cost usually about  $180  but other cheaper versions are also available for about $100.

Check out this Outside Magazine article to get great ideas on exercises using only a heavy  rock.  But an alternative is picking up a kettlebell for your Dad.  A kettlebell is simply a round weight with a handle on it, they have been around for centuries and were very popular in Russia for training their athletes.  I would suggest starting really light with a 25 or 20 pound to begin with, as technique and not weight is really important in the beginning.

Other possible fitness ideas include a heart rate monitor (check out The Running Room for a good selection), a pedometor, or a running hat/shirt from lululemon.

Another great idea is some sessions with a personal trainer, or a fitness and exercise program design by our exercise trainer, Sarah Croll.  She can assess and prescribe the right exercises for your Dad, whether it is to strengthen his core, rehab an old injury, or simply get into better shape.  Check it out here, and by all means feel free to call us to ask any questions! (613-549-0866)

Whatever you decide, try and spend some time with your Dad this week-end, let him know you care and would love to see him continue living a healthy and full life!