"Soup of the Day"...just got serious!
That’s you. No virus is going to hold you back from taking charge of what you can control: your strength, your health, your fitness, yourself.
Today, June 6th, 2020, is National Health and Fitness Day.
And today, we want to celebrate you. We are inspired by all of you. Everything you are doing to keep the economy going. Your ongoing generous support of and connections to our Clubs. Everything you are doing to help your neighbours and anyone more vulnerable than you. The gratitude you demonstrate towards those who are risking their own health to keep Canada strong. And everything you are doing – despite so many challenges – to keep your own body as strong and fit as possible.
Some of our best fitness experts, have banded together to send you personal messages of support and inspiration. But first, you must watch these 83 seconds of magic.

Inspirations of the Day
“Move because it’s better than not moving.” - Michael Bellissimo
“Employ the 1% principle. Do everything 1% better every day. Imagine where you will be in a week, a month, a year.” - Blair Larsen
"Wake up with intentions for the day and get things done right away." - Cquen Houston-McMillan

“You are stronger than you think you are ...you have no idea how strong you are...that’s your biggest weakness! And it is my life mission to make you realize that!” - Lori Kirwan
“Any exercise is better than no exercise.” - Lauren Fernandes
“Prioritize strength training - training to get stronger is the foundation of longevity - aesthetics will follow!” - Lauren Neal
“Who motivates the motivator? ...become your motivator, find a mentor, roll up your sleeves, and enjoy the journey.” - Barclay Hollinger
“Never be afraid of having high hopes. Harness the excitement, energy, and resources that hope lends you. Take a deep breath and carve a clear path for how your journey must begin. Begin it with determination and optimism. And be prepared to work hard, pivot, and ask for help along the way.” - Meg Sharp

“Strive for progress, not perfection.” - Jordanna Bertolin
“Take a moment each morning for some gratitude and sunshine - sunshine in the morning promotes a better sleep at night!” - Dena Ryde
“Move. You’re designed for it!” - Brandon Bernick
“Movement isn’t always a good thing, but proper movement is. Pay attention to HOW you are moving and WHY you are moving the way you do to achieve the most productive and safest results in the shortest period of time.” - Stephen McKenzie
“Don’t wait ‘til everything is good to be happy. You can be happy now by seeing the good in everything.” - Penny Phang

“We all are guilty of bypassing the foam roller, the core exercises, and the flexibility work in favour of time on the squat rack, bench press, or treadmill. Now is the opportunity to make up for lost time: Train your core, foam roll your areas of overuse, and spend time mobilizing those chronically tight muscles. The better we take care of these aspects of our fitness, the faster we'll return to peak form after quarantine.” - Rob Coates
"Fitness isn't about being better than someone else... Fitness is about being better than you use to be.” - Anonymous, embraced by Tyler Ward
Class of the Day
In support of National Health and Fitness Day, we’re bringing you another phenomenal TNT class!
Join Lori this morning for this high energy, challenging class, designed to turn you into a lean, mean, fat burning machine.
Class begins at 11:15 and will last 50 minutes.
Click here to join the class.
Meeting ID: 881 5708 6530
Password: 628385

Next Week’s Classes
We’ve got 13 classes on the schedule for next week. Click here to see which ones you want to join!
If you have questions about our virtual classes, please reach out to Lauren.
Martha's Bite of the Day
Here’s a beautiful dish Martha Wright – Executive Chef at Stratus - found on Bon Appétit Magazine’s Instagram while she was randomly searching for inspiration.
Caramelized Cabbage
Cabbage, the humble cabbage. I love it for so many reasons. It doesn’t command a premium price, lasts in a root cellar for a long time, it has an impressive nutrient content, and is incredibly versatile. Think coleslaw, sauerkraut, braised cabbage. It is a workhorse for fall/winter/spring cooking. Because it can keep in a cellar, it makes eating locally sourced foods easier while we wait for the spring and summer harvest to begin.
I discovered this recipe while looking for inspiration one afternoon, and now it’s a regular in my “what to make for dinner” rotation. This is a great dish served as a side, accompanying a simple roast chicken. It can be a hearty stew by adding more veggies (think bell peppers, kale), and either chorizo sausage, Italian sausage, leftover chicken, or all three! It can also be the base for a complete vegetarian meal, by adding cooked chickpeas or black beans, and more veggies.
I use this recipe as a starting off point, meaning don’t be afraid to get creative with spices, veggies, or proteins. Good cooking is all about adapting, trusting your instincts, and being willing to fail.

Ingredients:
- 1 x 500 ml can crushed tomato
- 1 medium onion, sliced thin
- 1 rib celery chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1½ tsp ground coriander
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 medium head of green cabbage (about 2 lb total)
- Kosher salt
- Canola oil for cooking
- 3 tbsp chopped dill, parsley, or cilantro
- Full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream (optional for serving)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cut cabbage in half through core. Cut each half through core into 4 wedges. Be sure to leave the core in, this will help the cabbage stay together during cooking.
- Heat oil to cover the bottom of a cast-iron pan large enough to fit the cabbage, over medium-high. Working in batches, if needed, add cabbage to pan cut side down and season with salt. Sear, turning occasionally, until lightly caramelized, about 4 minutes per side. Watch for oil splatters. Transfer cabbage to a plate.
- Wipe pan clean, add more oil, the sliced onions, garlic, and chopped celery. Gently sweat until soft, add the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds. Once they are toasted add the crushed tomatoes and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it comes to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
- Nestle cabbage wedges back into skillet (they should have shrunk while browning; a bit of overlap is okay). Transfer cabbage to oven and bake, uncovered until very tender, liquid is mostly evaporated, and cabbage is caramelized around the edges, 40 – 50 minutes. You should be able to pierce the cabbage with a toothpick when it is fully cooked.
Note: I always try to make this dish with extra sauce. It makes great leftovers as the flavours will develop after a day in the fridge.
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Do you have a "Something of the Day" you'd like us to share?! Email Meg.