My Favourite Workout Tools

If you’re ready to up your workout game and expand the tools you’ve got in your toolbox, here are my favourites!

Dumbbells

Pros:

• Can be used in pairs or individually - Hold one heavy weight at your chest to challenge your squat/deadlift/lunge or use two for bicep curls/shoulder raises/tricep kickbacks.

• Versatile - they can be used for strength, mobility & cardio so you get a great bang for your buck!

• They grow with you - increase your weights/change tempo or adjust your position to challenge new aspects of the same exercise.

Cons:

• Grip can be challenging - If you’re dealing with arthritis, trigger finger or limited grip strength dumbbells can provide some frustration.

• Require more coordination - When comparing dumbbells to machines, dumbbells have less structure and support when learning new movements. (Tip: Less weight is better at the beginning!)

• Storage & Transport - Dumbbells are heavy and cumbersome. They’re easiest when used in one location.

Inflatable 9” Pilates / “Bender Ball”

Pros:

• Easy to transport - These come with a small straw so they are super simple to blow up and deflate as you need. (Tip: they’re a great travel accessory! Deflate them part way, and use them as a back or neck support. Then when you get to your destination, you’ve got a workout tool! 10/10).

• Double Duty - Speaking of versatility, these can used for core work and mobility. (One of my faves!)

• Low impact and accessible - Very gentle on joints and great for beginners, rehab, or mobility-focused workouts.

Cons:

• Limited resistance - The ball doesn’t provide much load, so it’s not ideal for building significant strength.

• Can deflate or lose shape - They require occasional inflation and can wear out over time.

Resistance/Loop Bands

Pros:

• Portable - These are great for travel! They’ll help you stick to your fitness goals and only take up a small corner of your suitcase.

• Versatile - Can be used for warm up drills and strength training and come in many strengths & styles.

• Joint-friendly strength training - The smooth resistance can feel easier on joints than some weights.

Cons:

• Grip can be challenging - Similar to dumbbells, if you’ve got pain/inflammation in your hands, this can be tricky. However, resistance bands do have more options for how you hold them.

• Resistance is harder to measure - Unlike weights, it’s difficult to know exactly how much resistance you’re using.

• Setup can be tricky - Some movements require anchoring the band, which isn’t always convenient.

What’s your favourite tool to use to get stronger?

Facelift without Surgery?

Heck YEAH!

I started doing these 2 exercises every day and I cannot believe the difference in my face. My muscles are more toned, My smile is more even from side to side and I’ve lost a lot of my extra chins!

Exercise 1 - Smile.

I told you this was simple. I don’t mean just smile though, I mean a really big exaggerated smile. Like really pull the corners of your mouth up to your ears.

Imagine if you’re lifting a heavy weight in a bicep curl and you’ve picked a heavier weight than usual. I want you to use that same force to lift the corners of your mouth. Try to engage more muscles than you’ve felt before - lift- lift- lift! You can even lift the corners then pull them back to your ears and see if you feel new muscles engage.

I’ve been doing this while I drive, so if you’ve seen me in town and though - “wow that girl is really happy!” I was just exercising. (But yes, I am also that happy.)

Exercise 2 - Lift your tongue.

The tongue is a super powerful muscle and we don’t give it the credit it deserves. Let’s get to know your tongue.

• Press the entire tongue to the roof of your mouth. Notice how it feels - can you feel the same amount of tension working to push up?

• Now keep that suction and try to pull the back off of the roof of your mouth. Feel the muscles in your jaw and neck working.

• Alternate between pulling down your tongue (but keep it suctioned), and then pressing up into the roof of your mouth.

• If you put your hand on your neck, you will feel some movement (possibly very subtle). These are little muscles in your neck working to lift and lower your tongue.

You might find that you lose suction. That’s ok, keep going. That will get easier as the muscles get stronger and the brain/body connection builds.

A strong tongue not only helps with the appearance of your jaw, it also will help with snoring, jaw tension and posture imbalances!

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to working the muscles of your face and tongue - want more? Sign up for my newsletter and Let’s Get NERDY!!

Try it for a month and let me know what you think! Don’t forget to take a quick (and beautiful) “before” photo!

No-Bake Energy Balls

I’m a huge fan of these goodness-filled balls. (That doesn’t sound quite right, but we’re pressing on!) Energy balls are easy to make and tasty to eat!

I love a little sweet treat - and these hit the spot!

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Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Oats - blended to a rough flour consistency

• 1.5 C Pitted Dates

• 1 Scoop Peanut Butter Protein Powder (optional)

• 1/3 C Peanut Butter

• 1/4 C Honey

• 1/4 Chocolate Chips

Method:

1. If your dates are hard, soak them in boiling water for 1-5 mins, then drain.

2. Add all ingredients (except chocolate chips) to blender and pulse until a sticky and uniform consistency. (Don’t over blend)

3. Fold in the chocolate chips

4. Roll into balls (1” seems to work for me!)

5. Refrigerate and consume over 5 days. (Freezes well!)

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I love these - and I hope you do too.

Let me know if you try them!

Tight Hips?

Hi! I’m glad you’re here!

Healthy, relaxed muscles need more than just stretching. Here are 3 things you can do right now to check in with your hips.

Try 5-15 reps once a day a few times a week, and see if that changes your hips.

Remember - we’re not moving into pain. If your knees don’t like this, try a few things:

• Shift your weight more into your heels and try to connect with your butt doing most of the work.

• Make the movement smaller. Safe, pain free range of motion is where we want to start. This is not a “no pain, no gain” space.

• If these suggestions don’t work for you, don’t do them. All bodies are different. If you have questions, reach out! I’ll try and help!

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Mobility: bounce first. Heels up and down keeping your toes on the ground. Just for a minute or so.

Strength: 5-15 squats.

• No pain.

• Knees moving over toes.

• Bum goes back

Stretch: Dynamic Side Lunge

Let’s keep in simple. Legs can be closer - it’s not about the size of your range of motion. It’s all about what you’re feeling and where you’re feeling it.

Just gentle.

Size doesn’t matter here. ;)

Try it out and let me know what you think!

Jen :)

Bean Salad - with Sardines!

Ok. This is new for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good bean salad but I’ve never tried sardines before. Until TODAY!

Cheap, nutritious and quick! How can you not love this easy lunch?

I used fresh parsley and cherry tomatoes, but you can use any fresh veggie you desire. You can also skip the parsley and add another herb - dill would be dill-icious! (haha)

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• 1 cup cherry tomatoes - quartered with the guts squished out

• big bunch of parsley

• 1/4 red onion diced

• 1 can mixed beans, drained & rinsed

• 1 tin of sardines (I used lemon & cracked pepper)

Dressing:

• juice of 1 lemon

• 2 T olive oil

• 1 T hot honey

• salt & pepper

Mix it all up together and eat! This kept in the fridge for 3 days and got better as the week went on!

Let me know if you try it!

Easy, no bake cheesecake. Kinda.

If you’re not chronically online like me - please allow me to introduce a little something to you! There’s a trend from Japan for an easy 2 ingredient cheesecake adjacent desert.

The original has greek yogurt & biscoff cookies. It’s as easy as that! Tub of yogurt, and stick a bunch of cookies in it! I tried it. It’s not terrible, but it tastes just like you think it would. Like yogurt and cookies. Again. Not terrible.

But I made it better with a few more ingredients! It only took a few extra steps and it’s 100% better!

If you’re feeling like a sweet treat that’s lower in sugar (there’s still cookies in it….) and higher in protein, you should give this a try!

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Yogurt & Biscoff “Cheesecake”

• one cup unsweetened greek yogurt

• 1/4 cup cream cheese

• 1T vanilla (measure with your heart)

• 7 or so Biscoff cookies

• 1T coffee

• espresso powder/cocoa powder for dusting the top (if you’re fancy)

Mix up the first 3 ingredients. Line the bottom of your container with a few cookies. Break as needed to cover the bottom. Pour 1T coffee over the cookies. Next, add the yogurt mixture on top so it’s evenly covered. Push leftover cookies into the mixture vertically, leaving space between the cookies for optimal absorption. Dust with powders.

Cover and leave in the fridge for 12-24 hours. Until the cookies are soft.

Scoop and eat right out of the container. This is a single serving, after all!!

Additions: I’ve also seen folks using diced up fruit to top the cheesecake, or add it right into the mix! I’ve used flax seeds and hemp hearts for a little extra fiber and omegas. Try different cookies or yogurt! Go wild! :)

Let me know if you try it!

Beans are having a moment.

If you’re chronically online like me, you may have noticed that beans are big right now. And for good reason. They’re cheap, tasty & nutrient dense!

I love a good bean salad, but I don’t love eating it for days at a time. So I found an easy solution-

2 ingredient bean salad

• 1 can black beans

• 1/4C kimchi (any variety)

1. Drain and rinse your beans. Place in a bowl or plastic container.

2. Dice kimchi into pieces.

3. Mix together & add some juice to make it tasty!

That’s it! I devour that over 2 days or so, but it’ll last for 5 in your fridge. Recipes that follow the K.I.S.S method is my goal for 2026.

Homemade Ginger Shot

Have you seen those little bottles in the organic section? These cute little “gut shots”, or immune boosters? They usually sell for about $5/bottle. Wowza.

They’re tasty, and I fall for them more than I’d like to admit!

With a few fresh ingredients, a blender & a sieve, you can make your own!

These are just suggested amounts. The amounts vary every time I make this. Use what you’ve got!

Cheers!!

Here’s to a little sunshine boost in your day!

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Sunshine in a glass

One apple - cut into chunks (seeds removed)

2 oranges - peels cut off

3 lemons - peels cut off

3 knobs of turmeric - skin can be left on

A good amount of fresh ginger. (I used the amount that is in the photo. When I say a fair amount, I really mean it!) - dried bits cut off, but skin can be left on.

Pinch of black pepper

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Clean & take the dried bits off.

Chop every thing into 1-2 inch pieces.

Put into your blender and top with water. Boil water and fill the blender up with water 3/4 full. Let that sit and cool. This will hydrate the ginger and turmeric.

Once cooled, blend until it’s all mixed up and the bits are small. (There will be bits, we’re not looking for a smooth consistency.)

Place a sieve over a big bowl and start draining the juice out. Feel free to press down gently to squeeze all the goodness out. You can use a cheesecloth and squeeze it out if you’re looking for a hand strengthening exercise while you’re at it!

Transfer the sunshine into a jar/pitcher and place into the fridge. Consume this within 3-5 days and let the bright flavours warm your heart and soul. :)

Let me know if you try it!

Let’s move those shoulders!

One of the best ways to get to know your shoulder movement, is through Shoulder CARs. (Controlled Articular Rotations).

Basically this movement aims to move your shoulder in it’s full range of motion. This will achieve 2 big goals:

• Lubricate the joint - motion is lotion

• Check in with your current pain levels & restriction.

Lubrication makes movement easier and more comfortable. The fluid that lubricates our joints (synovial fluid), also provides nutrients to keep our joints healthy and strong. It’s a small and powerful step in creating safe and functional movement.

Checking in with your current mobility and pain levels isn’t something we normally do. We can lose full range of motion 2 ways.

1. Through injury. If we have pain, our bodies find a way to move away from that pain. Unfortunately, we don’t go back to that full range of motion naturally. Our bodies adapt to stop feeling pain and keep the injured area “safe”, and we continue that pattern even after the injury has healed.

2. Not moving into that range. When was the last time you sat on the floor and got back up? It’s not as easy as you remember, right? That’s because we’ve lost the lubrication and muscle strength to do that “naturally” even though it is something our bodes could do. A daily example could be reaching to get something behind your car’s seat. One day that movement feels easy, and then it doesn’t. Unless you’re moving in that range regularly and with intention, it gets harder. And that’s where injury happens.

So what can we do about it? - Enter Shoulder CARs -

It is important to move with curiosity and not into pain. If you have pain, change the range of motion, rather that pushing into that spot. That’s not what this is about. You want to gently lubricate around any injury so it feels safe and gets those great nutrients to help it heal.

This is a great tool to help you get to know your body and how it shows up day to day. Follow the link and try this movement. In order to have the movement in the shoulder joint (the top of your arm where it meets your shoulder), notice if you’re shifting your torso or lifting your shoulder.

If you need any support - send me a message and I can help you get to know this great movement so you can stay mobile, safe and pain free!

Please move mindfully and with care. Body Love Fitness is not responsible for injury. This is for education purposes only. If you need more support - please reach out!

First workshop - success!

I taught my first of many workshops yesterday. It was all about feet!

There’s just not time in a typical class to work on our feet, and they’re just so important. Feet are our foundation. They are vital in the very thing that keeps us from falling - balance!

But that’s not all! In the workshop we learned about Mobility, Strength & Stretching our feet. We learned what/why/when/where and the how so we could step into the next stage of life with more confidence. Participants went home with knowledge, tools and a thirst for more!

How exciting is this!??

After reading the surveys I came to the overwhelming conclusion - I have to do more of these.

Why stop at feet? Knowledge is power in every situation. Let’s learn how to keep our knees, hips, backs, shoulders, necks & pelvic floor strong! Do you want to get to know your core a little more - let’s talk about that!

There’s also talk about a new live weekly class starting in January.

The possibilities are endless.

Sign up for the newsletter to be the first to find out about the upcoming workshops (both live and on demand).

Let’s hear it for our feet!

Thank you so much for those of you who were able to be there in person. This was such an inspirational event, and it’s just the beginning.

All that in a Calf Raise?

We are trucking along into the fall here at Body Love and what a beautiful fall it has been so far! The colours and temperature have been perfect for hiking, long drives and boat watching along the Trent.

What’s happening in the BLF community.

We are in the middle of our very first challenge. This week we have dipped our toes into some consistent movement with our “Calf Raise Challenge”. It’s so simple, you just have to do 15 calf raises once a day!

Why a calf raise, you ask? Let me tell you!

• big toe range of motion and strength

• foot/arch strength

• ankle strength (no more rolled ankles!)

• strong calves lead to easier walking on flat ground and hills/stairs!

• lymphatic pump engaged = less ankle swelling

All that with just a few calf raises? YES BABE!

What are you waiting for? Get those calf raises in!

Lemony Chickpea & Chicken Salad

I don’t know about you, but perimenopause has got me struggling to eat! I’m trying to prioritize “healthy nutrition” rather than getting in line at the drive thru. But it’s a challenge!

Enter - meal prep.

I found this great little recipe while I was scrolling on tiktok, but I made it my own with a secret ingredient - canned chicken! Ok, I won’t make you read my life story. Here’s the recipe! Make it yours, and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• One can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)

• 1/3 of a bunch of parsley

• 1/3 red onion - diced

• zest of one lemon

• 1/2 tub feta (or measure with your heart)

• 1/3 cup hemp hearts

• 1/2 can chicken (don’t worry, I was skeptical too!)

Dressing:

• 2-3 T olive oil

• juice of one lemon

• salt and pepper to taste

Toss or shake it up - and enjoy! This lasted me for about 5 days and it was delicious the entire week! I hope you love it too.

Here’s to getting in that good protein!

Ok, I’ll admit it: I’m not a weight-loss coach.

Ok, I’m going to come out and just say it. I’m not a trainer who’s going to encourage you to lose weight.

Yikes. I know. But stick with me.

It’s not that losing weight isn’t a valuable choice sometimes. I just don’t think it’s as important or as easy as we think. Society has prioritized weight loss and deemed it to be the fix for mostly anything!

• Sore knees - lose 20lbs!

• Chronic back pain - drop 15lbs!

• Reoccurring injuries - yep another 10lbs!

Will it help? Sure, sometimes! But there is a much more direct way to affect pain - strength train! Intentional strength training will help create long, strong muscles, help build strong stable joints & increase mobility and ease of movement through your body.

These all lead to decreased pain!

That could be in the length of time you experience pain or the amount of pain you feel at any given time.

Getting stronger and learning how to listen to your body is a more reliable game plan. You lift heavy things (with decent form) and you get stronger. When you’re stronger it is easier to complete your daily tasks.

The coolest thing - this change happens quickly! Within 4-6 weeks you will feel a positive change in your body. Honestly, it’s pretty incredible. This is commonly known as Newbie Gains and you’re going to be amazed.

It’s all about consistency, babe. Figure out what days work and stick with them. You don’t even need a lot! One or two days a week is a fantastic start!

Welcome to Body Love Fitness - it’s not about “go big or go home” here. We show up and celebrate every win.

I’m so glad you’re here.