5 Ways Sophie Trudeau Can Stay Fit in Ottawa

All eyes are trained on Canada’s glamourous new first lady, Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau. We want to know what she’s wearing, what causes she supports and whether or not she fired the Harpers’ chef at 24 Sussex. What we’d really like to find out? What activities the former entertainment journalist and mom of three might do to stay fit. While her time in Ottawa has only just begun, here’s what we imagine Grégoire-Trudeau might do to keep active in and around the Capitol.

Yoga

Grégoire-Trudeau has said meditation and yoga were ‘life-saviours’ when she overcame an eating disorder in her early 20s. Now a certified yoga instructor, she’ll undoubtedly rely on the practice to keep her centred as Canada’s first lady. If she feels the urge to take a group class, there are dozens of studios in the Ottawa area for her to choose from. The Rama Lotus Yoga Centre on Gladstone Ave., for example, offers more than 100 classes each week, which would give her the flexibility to drop in during a break in her schedule. She may also be interested in taking her youngest son, Hadrien, to a mom-and-toddler yoga class offered by Little Lotus Yoga, a company that teaches children’s programs at studios and community centres throughout the city. They’ll even stop by for a private, at-home session.

Skating on the Rideau Canal

Is there any activity more quintessentially Canadian than a glide down the Capitol’s famous river? From January to around March (weather permitting), the Rideau Canal Skateway stretches for nearly eight kilometres through the centre of town. Not only is ice skating a great workout, it’s an opportunity to spend time with the family. Bonus: on-ice shops sell hot chocolate along the route.

Hiking in the Greenbelt

Grégoire-Trudeau spends time in nature to gain balance, reported the Toronto Star in 2013. Luckily, Ottawa is surrounded by 20,000 hectares of protected green space. With more than 150 kilometres of recreational trails, the Greenbelt offers hikes through farmland, woodlands and conservation areas.

Cycling on the Capital Pathways

The Capital Region boasts 600 kilometres of recreational pathways that link the city to surrounding natural areas such as the Trans Canada Trail and the Greenbelt. Grégoire-Trudeau could explore her new home base on two wheels by following the Ottawa River Pathway, which passes attractions such as the Canadian War Museum and Parliament Hill, or the Rideau Canal Pathway, which passes through Commissioner’s Park, home of the famous tulip displays.

Whitewater rafting on the Ottawa River

As a reported extreme-sports enthusiast, Grgoire-Trudeau may be drawn to the wild rapids on the Ottawa and Madawaska rivers. And the adventurer in her may be thrilled to learn that one of the most popular waves for freestyle kayakers, called the Ruins Wave, can be found west of the city’s downtown core. But if she’s just starting out as a paddler, she may want to take advantage of Ottawa City Rafting‘s much gentler three-hour rafting excursion through the city.