Nova Spotlight: Ellen Pearce
Nova Health Club • August 12, 2019
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born in Victoria B.C, and throughout my life moved to Vancouver, Toronto, back to Victoria, and ultimately ended up in Oakville where I’ve resided for 30 years.
Prior to having children, I worked in regional planning and at a demographics firm. I play golf three times a week, tennis three times a week and walk whenever I can. I am also captain of my tennis team, golf captain and, a volunteer at the Oakville Hospital.
I’ve been married to my husband for 37 years and have four grown children and one grandchild (so far). My husband also enjoys staying fit and playing golf so to fill the long cold months in Ontario, we spend up to 180 days a year at our place in Florida. My main objective is to get some form of exercise every single day. Of course, I have the odd travel or sick day but because I plan to do something each day, I never feel guilty about the odd day I miss.
How long have you been training with Nova Health Club coaches and why have you stayed with them for that long?
I have been training for seven years at Nova. I went to another trainer before I started at Nova and felt like I was treated like an old person. I was never pushed to do a bit more, never asked what my goals were and in fact, I don’t think he cared about the job or what I was trying to accomplish.
I began going to Nova on a friend’s recommendation. I was skeptical at first, afraid that they wouldn’t know what they were doing and I would get injured. That is so far from that truth!
Over the years I have come to see that the trainers are true pros at their craft. They keep scrupulous records and I have never been asked to do something that I might consider to be risky or dangerous. The trainers also respect my requests. For example, I told them that when I run the stairs, I will always keep a hand on the handrail, and it was never an issue.
How have your goals changed over this time and how did your sessions at Nova adapt to your changing goals?
When I first started coming to Nova, it was more about how I looked. I was playing quite a bit of tennis but all that repetitive motion was starting to cause a number of aches and pains.
At that point, it never crossed my mind I could actually win anything in sport. As we proceeded down the fitness trail, I have learned how to pace myself, what my strengths and limitations are and how to use them to achieve some athletic goals. I have also come to realize that if I am going to compete in any activities that I enjoy, I need to show up ready to play every time, not say well maybe I will do better next week.
Has there been any health or injury adversity over this time and how did you manage through them?
I learned many years that the best way for me to deal with day-to-day stress is to focus on a sport that takes your mind off it for a few hours a week. For me that was tennis. Somehow, that hour and a half of hitting tennis balls, put other issues back into perspective. In addition, my teammates were all so kind and supportive.
From a physical standpoint, I have had many minor (and one major) health issues. I’ve had tons of minor aches and pains. Wrists, knees, upper arms, legs, neck (the list is endless). Some of these caused by the repetitive nature of golf and tennis, others from sitting in a car or on a plane for too long. Regardless, I have been able to work through all of these ailments with the aid of the trainers at Nova. Interestingly, all these minor ailments have been alleviated within 2-3 weeks of training at Nova.
I am amazed that in virtually every instance, after about three weeks of pain, it disappears! I think we accomplish this by building up supporting muscles in joints and stretching. However we do it, I am forever grateful!
My major health issue was pneumonia in 2018. I was in Florida and was pretty much out of commission from the beginning of February until I returned back to Oakville in mid-April. I told the trainers to start where I began to build my strength up again. The unexpected outcome of this was that not only did I gain back strength I gained a ton of confidence. I don’t think I would be nearly as active today if we hadn’t worked bit by bit back up the fitness ladder.
What do health and wellness mean to you?
This is a bit cliche but "if you don’t have your health you don’t have anything".
Why are health and wellness important to you?
I didn’t do any sports as a child but always wanted to. I began going to group fitness classes when I was in my early 20s and we lived in Vancouver and have continued to participate in some type of physical activity regularly since then. The activity really helps me deal with the day to day stress of life. Over the years working out has evolved from how I look, to how I feel.
Other than improved fitness, how has the training at Nova improved your life outside of the sessions (personally and in sports)?
I’m not a flexible individual when it comes to fitness. A physiotherapist once told me to never do yoga because I was a bad mix of not being flexible and competitive. I took what she said to heart.
Having said that, training at Nova, I’ve been able to address my flexibility limitations and develop my strengths. We are what we are but that shouldn’t stop us from doing what we love. My workouts have taught me my potential and my limits. I know when I am on the golf course or tennis court on a very hot day in a competition, how much gas I have left in the tank. I often see my opponents fading. Knowing what my body can handle is huge in these situations.
Over the years you have worked with many different coaches. Can you describe some of the benefits you have experienced by being with different coaches at Nova?
Firstly, it’s really fun to get to know them all. They are all so different! Also, I think it is critical for people as they get older to have people in their lives who are younger than they are. It builds a feeling of community and gives me a fresh perspective on life.
What are your key motivations?
I want to stay functional by staying as physically active as possible. I know that when I don’t work out, I tend to seize up. I’m certainly not perfect in my quest for health and wellness but I set little goals and try to meet them. I have come to learn that even on days when I don’t feel much like working out, showing up and getting the blood flowing ALWAYS makes me feel better.
What other practices or philosophies do you follow in your life that contribute to your health and wellness?
I think that as we age it is absolutely imperative we continue to try to do things outside of our comfort zone. I often hear my peers saying things like “I don’t drive on the highway”, or “I don’t like seafood”. Trying new things keeps you young at heart.
The same concept applies to activities. Why not try something you have never done before. Our society now has lots of programs geared to older clientele. There is so much physically, mentally and socially to be gained from trying something new!
Default vs Future Thinking Here is a question we should all be asking ourselves more: "What would the future version of you be doing right now?" Not the current version who is tired, busy or overwhelmed. The future you who is leaner, stronger, more energized and showing up powerful in every area of life... The version of you that has the results you want. The Future Self Thinks Differently And they got there by making different choices than the easy ones our current self so often subscribes to. Your future self doesn't cancel a workout because sleep wasn't perfect. They don't skip exercise because they are tired or because something came up at work, a last minute social invitation appeared or there's a haircut to fit in And if something does get in the way, they reschedule to earlier, later or the next day. They don't put health at the bottom of the list and wait for the schedule to calm down. Because they figured out something most people never do - things never calm down. Life doesn't get less busy. It just finds new ways to fill every gap you leave open. Your future self made a decision at some point. They started prioritizing their health the same way they prioritize family and work. Not above everything else. Right next to the things that matter most. That one decision is what separates the people who get results from the people who stay stuck in the same cycle year after year. The Two Versions of You Here is the thing most people miss. There are always two versions of you competing in the decision making process. The current default version that is tired, reactive and looking for the easy way out. And the future version that is already living the life you want and making choices that reflect that. Every single day you are casting votes for one of those two versions. Every time you show up when it is hard you are not just getting a workout in. You are becoming your future self. Every time you cancel/skip/defer you are voting to stay exactly where you are. The identity shift doesn't happen when you reach your goal. It happens in the small decisions you make when nobody is watching and things are hard. The Question That Cuts Through Every Excuse Stop asking yourself how you feel about your workout today. Start asking yourself what the person you want to become would do today. That question cuts through every excuse because the answer is always the same. - they show up. Next time you are faced with a decision that interferes with your workout, take a moment and ask yourself two things. What does my default mode want me to do? And what would my future self do? The gap between those two answers is exactly where your results live. The Shift Starts With One Decision You don't need a perfect plan. You don't need the right time or the right conditions. You just need to start making decisions that your future self would be proud of. One session at a time. One choice at a time. That is how the identity shift happens. That is how the results follow. And if you want support making that shift - a coach and a team who hold you to the standard of your future self, not your current default - is exactly what we are here to do.
Why Your Brain Talks You Out Of The Gym Every Time There are days when my energy is low. I didn’t sleep well the night before and I'm deep in work, the timeline is tight and everything is pulling at me at once. In those moments the last thing I want to do is work out. I'm tired. I'm stressed. I'm scattered. Not feeling it at all. And my brain does what every human brain does in that moment - it looks for the easy way out. The easy way out is always the same - skip the workout. I tell myself I'll make up for it tomorrow or next week… Or when things calm down. But tomorrow and next week are never any different. I've been training consistently for 30 years and I still feel this at least once a week and I've learned to recognize what's actually happening in that moment so that I don’t self sabotage. The Two Voices We all have these moments and when it happens there are two voices in your head. The first voice is loud, justified and incredibly convincing. It tells you that you're too tired. That you deserve a break. That you've been working so hard and one missed workout won't matter. That you'll go tomorrow for sure. This is your default voice - the one wired for the path of least resistance. It has kept humans safe and comfortable for thousands of years but it is working against you big time! The second voice is quieter. Easier to ignore. It doesn't shout. It just says - go anyway. That voice is your future self. The version of you that is leaner, stronger, more energized and more capable. And the future version of you didn't get there by listening to the loud default voice. The future self got there by learning to hear the quiet one. Here's what most people don't realize. Every time you listen to the default voice you make it louder. Every time you listen to the quiet one you make it stronger. The workout you skip today isn't just a missed session. It's a vote for the version of you that stays stuck. Your Default Operating System We all have a default mode - a way of thinking and behaving that kicks in automatically when things get hard. If your health is not where you want it to be, your default operating system is a big part of the reason. It generates a thousand reasons why not to continue when things get challenging. Too tired. Too busy. Too stressed. Not the right time. After the holidays. When things calm down. Sound familiar? The default voice doesn't just keep you from working out. It keeps you exactly where you are - year after year - wondering why nothing ever changes. Most people don't fail because they are lazy. They fail because they never trained the most important muscle they have - their mind. Thoughts create feelings. Feelings create actions. Actions create results. Change the thought and you change everything. The Agreement I Made With Myself On the days I don't want to train I make a simple agreement with myself: if I go, I am permitted to put in less effort. That's it. I tell myself it is okay to go have a crappy workout. In doing that the pressure of having to perform at my best disappears completely. So I go with zero expectation and the mindset that anything is better than nothing. And almost every single time, after the warm-up, I'm in the groove. What felt like a terrible idea 20 minutes earlier ends up being exactly what I needed. The hardest part is always putting on my shoes and walking out the door. That's it. The shoes on is the whole battle. Hilarious isn't it? Newton had a law for this. A body at rest stays at rest. The inertia that keeps you on the couch, at your desk or stuck in your head is real. But a body in motion stays in motion too. The moment you take that first step the rest takes care of itself. The Days You Want To Skip Are The Most Important Here's a reframe that changed everything for me. The days and weeks that feel the most scattered and stressful are actually the most important times to show up. Not despite the stress - because of it. Exercise is one of the most powerful stress regulators your body has access to. The workout you want to cancel the most is almost always the one you need the most. So the next time your brain starts telling you to take a session off, recognize what's happening. That's the loud voice. The default voice. The one keeping you small. Your future self is the quiet voice on the other shoulder saying go anyway. Every time you listen to that quiet voice you are casting a vote for the person you are becoming. Show up tired. Show up stressed. Show up scattered. Just show up. A bad workout is always better than no workout. Always!!! You Don't Have To Figure This Out Alone One of the biggest reasons people keep listening to the loud default voice is because there is no one holding them accountable. When the only person expecting you to show up is yourself, the loud voice almost always wins. That's not a character flaw. That's just human nature. Having a coach and a team expecting you to walk through that door changes everything. It shifts the workout from a promise you made to yourself - which is easy to break - to a commitment you made to someone else. If you're ready to stop letting the loud voice win, let's talk. Book your free consultation by clicking the button below.
Injured? Here's Why You Should Keep Training Injuries happen to all of us at some point. Maybe it happens during a workout. Maybe it's moving a heavy piece of furniture at home. Maybe it's just waking up one morning and something doesn't feel right. Whatever the cause, the moment something hurts most people do the same thing - they stop. Rest. Recover. Wait until they feel better. I understand why it feels like the safe and logical thing to do. But after 25 years of coaching I can tell you that stopping completely is almost never the right answer. The Doctor's Advice - And Why It's Incomplete When something hurts, most doctors will tell you to rest and stop working out. I get why they say it - they don't want you making things worse and they are being cautious. But here is what most doctors don't factor in: there is a difference between resting an injured area and stopping all movement entirely. Your doctor is not trained in how to work around injuries during exercise. That is a completely different skill set - one that coaches who have studied kinesiology, anatomy and biomechanics spend years developing. Knowing how the body responds to training under stress or injury is exactly what we do. And the answer is almost never to stop moving completely. The Choice Most People Don't Realize They're Making When you get injured you actually have two options. Most people only see one. Option A is to protect the injured area and keep the rest of your body strong. Option B is to protect the injured area and let the rest of your body get weaker at the same time. When you look at it that way the answer is obvious. And yet most people still choose Option B without even realizing it. I learned this firsthand years ago when I dislocated my shoulder. For about six months I couldn't do any serious upper body training at all. So I kept showing up with the exact same consistency and focused entirely on legs. My legs became super strong during that period. Meanwhile someone who stops going completely doesn't just lose upper body strength - they lose strength everywhere. The injury heals either way. But only one person comes back stronger. Be Solution Oriented - Not Problem Oriented Two people with the exact same injury can have two completely different outcomes based on mindset alone. The solution oriented person works around the injury and keeps moving in a modified way. The person with a limiting mindset stops everything, fixates on the problem and waits. The only bad workout is the one that didn't happen. That is not just a motivational line - it is the difference between people who get results and people who don't. Think Like an Athlete Have you ever heard of a professional athlete cancelling all of their training because of an injury? Never. When a professional athlete gets injured their training becomes modified - not cancelled. They focus on three things: rest, rehabilitation and maintenance. By continuing to train the right way they recover faster and come back stronger. You don't have to be a professional athlete to think this way. This is just how the body works - for everyone. 3 Parts to Fixing Injuries 1) Rest Strategic rest - not complete rest. Avoid the activities that aggravate the injury but keep everything else moving. If you tore a hamstring from sprinting, stop sprinting - but don't stop training entirely. 2) Rehabilitation Specific exercises that promote blood flow and healing to the injured area. A torn hamstring still needs gentle activation to heal faster - not complete shutdown. This is where having a qualified coach makes all the difference. 3) Maintenance While the injured area is healing, the rest of your body still needs attention. There is no reason to lose the strength and fitness you have worked hard to build just because one area is compromised. Common Injuries and What You Can Still Do Shoulder or arm injury? Focus on legs, core and rehabilitation work for the injured area. Back injury? Deep core work, supported upper body exercises and mobility - there is more available than most people think. Knee or leg injury? Upper body work, hip hinging movements and rehabilitation exercises that don't load the joint directly. Twisted ankle? Upper body, core and stretching. More options than you'd expect. The only time to completely stop training is if you are fully incapacitated. For almost every other injury there is a path forward. You Don't Have to Figure This Out Alone Knowing how to modify training around an injury takes experience and knowledge. If you are injured right now and not sure what you can or can't do - that is exactly the kind of problem we solve every day. You don't have to wait until you feel 100% to reach out. In fact the sooner you do the better your outcome will be.
Since joining Nova, Nicole has put in real effort and brought a lot of positive energy to our community. At 55, stepping into weightlifting to keep up with her kids was a brand-new challenge, and she’s tackled it head-on.
Tanya’s journey is a wonderful reminder that fitness isn’t about chasing quick results, it's about building a life you genuinely enjoy.
Think your peak fitness years are behind you once you hit your 50s? Think again.
Meet Kris, a Nova member who recently compared his current fitness stats
A consistent member for years, Rosalind shows up twice a week and makes her health a priority next to work and family.
Matt proves that when you add commitment to a structured plan, success is inevitable.
Joy joined Nova with the goal to rebuild strength and push herself physically again. Over the past few months, she has proved her commitment to this goal despite a very demanding schedule.
