GoodLife Fitness is showing Canadians some Valentine’s Day love Feb. 15-19 by opening its doors to provide free Club access across Canada. The GoodLife Healthy Heart Open House will get hearts pumping with access to Canada’s largest fitness club chain, which has locations in every province.
“Since 2012, when we announced our collaboration with the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, part of the University Health Network (UHN), we have been focused on improving the heart health of Canadians,” said David Patchell-Evans, GoodLife Fitness founder and CEO. “The Healthy Heart Open House is another great opportunity to show Canadians what a positive impact regular exercise makes on your cardiovascular health and overall wellbeing.”
According to the Heart & Stroke Foundation, nine out of 10 Canadians over 20 have at least one risk factor for heart disease. If all Canadians engaged in 60 minutes of physical activity every day, as many as 33 per cent of deaths related to coronary heart disease could be avoided.
“Exercise is the best medicine when it comes to improving the health of one’s heart. It also plays a vital role in preventing heart attacks and many other cardiac health problems,” said Dr. Paul Oh, Medical Director and GoodLife Fitness chair in Cardiovascular Rehabilitation and Prevention with the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and Toronto Rehabilitation Institute.
For typical Canadians, Oh recommends 20 to 30 minutes of activity a day, three to five times a week to help control blood pressure, high cholesterol and glucose levels, as well as to increase energy levels and reduce stress.
Canadians are encouraged to call their local GoodLife Fitness to take advantage of the Healthy Heart Open House. Walk-ins are also welcome.
Throughout February GoodLife Fitness has teamed up with the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre to offer a 29-day Healthy Heart Challenge on Facebook. Canadians who sign up will receive cardiac stats, exercise tips and recipes. To join the discussion, use the hashtag #iheartexercise.