Don’t Ghost Your Exercises!

How to Make Your Routine Fun Again, Just in Time for Halloween
This time of year can be full of tricks and treats, but one of the scariest things you can do is bury your exercise routine in the graveyard. We get it: October marks the start of the holiday season, and you’ve got a lot going on. But skipping out on regular movement will leave you shambling like a zombie through New Year’s!
There is good news, though: exercise doesn’t have to feel like a curse. At Momentum Health, we believe your workouts should be fun and motivating. This month, we’re looking at some of our favourite tips for staying active all season long.

Why Exercise Matters Any Time of Year
Even if you never need the cardio and stamina to defeat a woodland monster or masked mongrel, regular exercise still offers immense benefits! In fact, consistent movement is one of the best things you can do for your health and plays an essential role in how your body feels and functions:
- Stronger muscles and joints help reduce pain and prevent injuries.
- Improved mobility makes everyday activities easier.
- Better circulation and heart health mean more energy and less fatigue.
- Boosted mood and reduced stress thanks to natural brain chemicals that lift your spirits.
Best of all, you don’t have to spend hours in the gym to see benefits. Even light activity such as walking the neighbourhood to check out Halloween decorations, can have a lasting impact.
Eight Spooky Tips to Keep Moving This Fall
Remember That Exercise Isn’t the Monster
Many people see exercise as something they have to do, which makes sticking to a workout routine harder than fighting off zombies. The real monsters, though, are common barriers to working out, such as boredom, discomfort, or a lack of free time. Here’s how to fight back:
1. Switch Things Up
- Variety keeps things fresh, so regularly incorporate new activities into your routine. Usually a weightlifter? Try Pilates. Bored with running? Break out your bike (or rent one) and take a scenic ride instead.
2. Give Micro Workouts a Try
- A workout doesn’t need to last hours to be beneficial. If you’re strapped for time, break movement into 10-minute blocks throughout the day.
3. Make It Social
- Movement doesn’t have to “look” like exercise to count. Get some friends together and spend a few hours at the corn maze or doing a Pedal Pub. You’ll be surprised at how much of a workout you’ll get without even realizing it!
4. Visit Momentum Health for Pain Management
- If pain is holding you back, schedule an appointment with our team. We can help you understand why you’re experiencing discomfort and provide personalized strategies to help you feel and move better.
More Tricks to Make Exercise Feel Like A Treat
Consistency is one of the most important things when it comes to exercise. It’s also one of the things people often struggle the most with, especially if they don’t necessarily enjoy exercise in and of itself. Fortunately, it’s easy to make your exercise routine fun and rewarding:
5. Play with Music
- Make custom playlists with your favourite songs to keep you going. A Halloween-themed playlist would be a blast this time of year!
6. Gamify Your Workouts
- There are lots of ways to make exercise feel like a game. Try a fun, 30-day challenge or design a themed workout routine (i.e, “Training for the Zombie Apocalypse”). Get a friend involved and compete to see who can hit the most goals.
7. Don’t Skip the Literal Treats
- There’s nothing wrong with a little external motivation. Reward yourself for working out with a seasonal snack, watching your favourite horror movie, or relaxing with a Halloween-themed bath bomb (and plenty of black candles).
8. Set A Spooky Scene
- If you love Halloween as much as we do, take some time to make your workout space fit the season. String up pumpkin-shaped lights, hang cobwebs, and light a pumpkin candle for an immersive experience.

Momentum Health Is Here to Help Keep the Pain Away
Think of exercise as your shield against aches and pains! And remember, our multidisciplinary team is always here to provide a little extra guidance.
So this Halloween, don’t ghost your exercises. Keep them fun, keep them fresh, and keep your body moving. Your future self will thank you.
Written by: Delaney Blewett, PT
Staff Spotlight:
Delaney Blewett, (MPT, BKin, IMS certified)

Delaney Blewett is one of our dedicated physiotherapists at Momentum Health Westbrook. With her warm and attentive manner, she helps patients feel at ease, even when facing the challenges of pain, injury, or recovery after surgery.
Delaney earned her Bachelor of Kinesiology with Honours before completing her Master of Physical Therapy at UBC. She takes a comprehensive approach to care, combining manual therapy, exercise, and education to not only relieve pain but also build strength, confidence, and lasting mobility. She has completed IMS training for dry needling and continues to advance her manual therapy expertise through ongoing education. Her passion is helping people return to the activities they enjoy most, whether that is lifting, hiking, playing with their kids, returning to the sports field, or simply moving through daily life without limitation.
Outside the clinic, Delaney enjoys hiking, photography, and soaking up Calgary’s sunshine, a welcome change from her rainy Vancouver roots.
If you have been considering physiotherapy, whether to address nagging pain, recover from an injury, or simply move with more ease, Delaney is here to make your rehab journey effective, approachable, and maybe even fun.
Ever Feel Wrapped Up in Knots?
Feeling tied up in knots? Even mummies know that stress, tension, and tight muscles can be downright scary. 👻 Luckily, Momentum Health has massage add-ons that bring real relief:
- Hot Stone Therapy to melt away tension Neurofascial Release (NFR) to reset movement patterns
- Cupping Therapy to release tightness
- Laser Therapy to speed healing
This Halloween, skip the tricks—because they won’t fix your back. 😉 Treat yourself to massage therapy in Calgary and discover how our multi-disciplinary care can take your recovery (and relaxation) to the next level. 👉 Book your appointment today and give your body the treat it deserves.
Schedule Your Appointment Today!
Don’t let your health goals vanish into the Halloween shadows—now’s the perfect time to get back on track at Momentum Health. Book your next appointment and keep your routine feeling strong, fun, and full of energy all season long!

Product Spotlight: Massage Add-Ons: Small Extras, Big Difference
Sometimes, the smallest details can make the biggest impact on your recovery. At Momentum Health, our massage therapists offer add-ons designed to enhance your treatment, whether you’re easing everyday stress, managing pain, or supporting your body through healing.
Hot Stone Therapy adds gentle heat, melting tension and helping muscles relax more deeply.
NFR (NeuroFascial Reset) works with your nervous system to release restrictions and restore balanced movement. These appointments can be booked in as little as 15 minutes and there is no need to remove clothing to gain the benefits of this treatment.
Cupping Therapy uses gentle suction to improve circulation, ease tightness, and support recovery. Cupping works on large fascial sections that need to move! The cup creates a pocket of suction directly over the area where the cup is placed. It can then be left stationary for a continued stretch or moved around your back or other section as needed.
Laser Therapy applies targeted light to reduce inflammation and accelerate tissue repair. Laser therapy utilizes low-level light energy to stimulate cellular functions, foster healing, and diminish inflammation and pain.
Each add-on is a tool with a purpose — and your therapist can help you choose the one that best supports your body’s unique needs.
Why does this matter? Because we believe that care should be more than a quick fix. These techniques extend the value of your massage by helping your body move, heal, and perform at its best.
This October, when life gets busy (and maybe even a little spooky!), consider giving yourself the gift of extra care. Talk to your therapist about which add-on might help you feel your best.

No Bones About It: Exercise is Good for Your Skeleton
Bones might look hard as stone, but they’re actually living tissue, like your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. And just like your muscles, they grow stronger with stress and weaken with inactivity.
A sturdy skeleton is a key part of good health, especially as you get older. It helps reduce your risk of fractures and makes it easier for your joints to stay moving. This Halloween, let’s celebrate your own spooky, scary skeleton!
Why Bones Love Movement
The best way to keep your skeleton strong is through weight-bearing exercises and resistance training, both of which increase bone density. These types of exercise stress your bones, signaling your body to increase the density of your bones and help to reduce your risk of osteoporosis.
Of course, weight-bearing exercises have other benefits, too, including improving balance and coordination and strengthening the muscles around your joints, which means less strain on your hips, knees, and spine.
Scary Fun Ways to Strengthen Your Skeleton
The good news is you don’t need heavy equipment or even a gym membership to strengthen your bones. These fun, bone-friendly, and physiotherapist-approved activities can fit right into the Halloween season:
Pumpkin Squats
- Hold a medium pumpkin at chest height and slowly sink down into a squat. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and hinge forward at the hips. Repeat 8-10 times.
Monster Walks
- Loop a resistance band around your calves and step side-to-side across the room. Repeat in the other direction.
Graveyard Step-Ups
- To perform this exercise, use a sturdy step or a low bench. Step up and down like you’re climbing out of a crypt. Repeat 10-15 times. Then switch the lead leg and repeat.
Witch’s Broom Lunges
- Balance a broomstick across the meaty part of your upper back and lunge forward. Do 10-15 reps before repeating on the other side. You can also do walking lunges across the room.
Don’t Let Your Bones Be Spooked
You know that adrenaline boost you feel when you watch a good scary movie? That kind of healthy stress is what your bones experience when you perform resistance training and weight-bearing exercises!
Although these exercises are a good start, nothing thing beats personalized guidance on improving your bone health, so don’t hesitate to contact the multidisciplinary team at any Momentum Health location.

Community Corner:
Vote for Your Favourite Clinic! 🎃
It’s that spooky time of year again… and our clinics are going head-to-head in a Halloween costume showdown!
Here’s how it works:
Each clinic will be dressing up in their best group costumes.
We’ll share the photos on our Momentum Health Instagram and Facebook pages.
You decide the winner! Cast your vote by liking and commenting on your favourite clinic’s post. The most comments of “winner” takes the cup and the prize!
Last year, the creativity was off the charts — from wizards to throwback themes — and this year our teams are ready to top it.
✨ Voting opens October 31st. ✨
The clinic with the most love (comments on that post) will be crowned this year’s Costume Champions!
So grab your candy, scroll through the costumes, and show some support for the team that makes you smile the most.
Follow Us on Social Media!
Seasonal Recipe: Spooky Good Yam & Black Bean Tacos
A Frighteningly Flavorful Fall Feast!
These spooky good tacos are the perfect way to sneak some nutrients into your Halloween fun. Packed with fiber-rich yams and protein-packed black beans, this meatless meal is as satisfying as it is colorful—perfect for fueling up before a night of trick-or-treating or monster-mashing. With warm spices and a touch of lime, they’re a hauntingly healthy way to celebrate the season!
Ingredients:
- 2 medium yams, peeled and cut into small cubes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- Corn or flour tortillas (8–10)
- Optional Toppings: diced avocado, shredded purple cabbage, lime wedges, chopped cilantro, sour cream, salsa, pumpkin seeds (optional for Halloween flair).
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss yams with olive oil, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on the baking sheet.
- Roast yams for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and tender.
- Warm tortillas in a skillet or microwave.
- Assemble tacos: Layer roasted yams and black beans into tortillas, then top with your toppings of choice.
- Serve immediately and enjoy with spooky-themed napkins or serve them from a pumpkin platter for extra Halloween style!

Welcome to Our Newest Staff Members!
Anaya Girap | Westbrook | Kinesiologist
Matthew Pozar | Seton | Kinesiologist



