The Challenge
I went from being an athlete to a couch potato. I grew up playing sports. After I graduated from high school, I started playing hockey and jogging five days a week. But an accident two years ago shattered the bones in my leg. The doctor told me that I would never be able to play sports again. I couldn’t even move my ankle to get my foot into my shoes!

The Moment
After the accident, I went through post-surgery rehab. I spent the first year and a half angry about the loss of my first love, sports.
I got so out of shape that it seemed as if I needed a new, slightly larger wardrobe every six months. When I looked in the mirror, I no longer recognized myself. How did this happen to me? At some point I realized that I’d had enough. Sitting around being angry had got me nowhere. I was ready to take charge of my life.

The Change
I figured that my diet could use a shape up. I looked online to find out about healthy eating and portion sizes from Canada’s Food Guide.
The first thing I learned about healthy eating was that I had to figure out how to eat at least eight servings of fruits and vegetables every day. The food guide also told me how many grain products and how much dairy and meat I needed daily. When I first looked at the number of servings, I thought that this was way too much food. But when I measured out what a serving size looked like, I realized that it was less food than I thought. I also looked at the Health Canada website for ways to plan healthy meals. I started eating smaller portions and making healthier food choices.

The accident meant that I needed to find a different way of being active. It helped to talk with doctor about the type of exercise I could do. He said that a personal trainer could give me a safe, full-body workout routine.I checked-out the fitness centre at work with some of my co-workers, and it looked like something I could do. Since seeing the personal trainer, I’ve been lifting weights and stretching every lunch hour.

The Best Part
Eating better and being active has made me feel alive again! The highlight of my day is going down to the fitness centre and working out with my co-workers. I’m glad to have my old self back.