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Healthier You Expo showed the way to get and stay fit

The annual Healthier You Expo was held Sunday at the College of New Caledonia.
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During Sunday's Healthier You Expo at the College of New Caledonia Hal Johnson, best known for television's BodyBreak, talks about how sugar is addicting and bad for you, during his and partner Joanne McLeod's talk about how to stay healthy and fit for life.

The annual Healthier You Expo was held Sunday at the College of New Caledonia.

The popular free event, presented in partnership with MLA Shirley Bond, the Prince George Citizen, Northern Health and the Immigrant and Multicultural Society, offered advice and demonstrations on how to improve health by exercising, eating healthy and living with a positive attitude.

One of the many information sessions that filled the schedule from 10 a.m. right up to 4 p.m. featured local physiotherapist Kerry Roberts, who works at the YMCA of Northern B.C., who talked about seniors and weights. Roberts had several talking points including how weight training at any age is beneficial and especially when it comes to fall prevention.

Coralie Fitz-Gerald, who attended the Healthier You Expo for the first time, said she was particularly interested in hearing about how to improve her stability because after several falls she broke her shoulder after taking one particularly terrible fall last winter.

"I couldn't lift my arm up very far at all after it healed," Fitz-Gerald said. After months working with a physiotherapist her arm is better but she knows she's not doing enough to protect herself from more falls.

After hearing about how anyone, including seniors, can improve their health, balance, stability, and agility by lifting weights Fitz-Gerald was rather inspired and a bit surprised by the information presented by Roberts.

"Listening to her, it made me realize I'm pretty darn lazy and I maybe need to smarten up and get involved with something," Fitz-Gerald said.

After the lecture some audience members wandered down to the health corridor at the Gathering Place at the college where there was an entire host of booths providing information about non-profit societies in Prince George geared to show support like the Kidney Foundation, Diabetes Canada, Canadian Mental Health Association, along with businesses like London Drugs and Surg-Med showcasing their services while the College of New Caledonia's dental clinic and medical lab offered information as well.

There was also demonstrations provided including a bollywood-style dance session that saw at least a dozen people trying to keep up with the instructor. By the perma-grins on most everyone's face they were all having a great time.

There was a flu shot clinic available for those in need as well.

One of the highlights of the expo was the talk given by BodyBreak's Hal Johnson and Joanne McLeod who offered advice on healthy eating and how to make good choices while especially trying to avoid sugar, about how to keep moving, despite any excuses you might think you have, always having a positive attitude and how surrounding yourself with like-minded people will help keep a person on a fitness track ideal for them.