Learn to Lift is an 8-week, in-person, small group training program for women who want to get strong in midlife and beyond.

New this round - start ‘em young!

Bring your teen girl (daughter, granddaughter, family friend) and they only pay the session fees (and save $100 on the program fee!)

Learn to lift weights safely, in a small group, private gym environment.

During this 8-week small-group training, nutrition and lifestyle program will guide you to work with your changing hormones through the perimenopause transition and beyond, without the intimidating gym environment.

Combining my background in high performance athletics, kinesiology, personal training and naturopathic medicine, I’m excited to bring a much needed program to fruition.

Let me teach you…

Why more muscle is the answer to most of your health problems, and how to build it

How to fuel your body with a non-restrictive nutrition approach

How to lift weights safely and with good form to avoid injury

The lifestyle strategies to support your physiology during this time of transition, and beyond

Muscle IS Medicine.

This program is for women who:

Are noticing body composition changes around peri/menopause

Are intimidated by the gym environment

Want to learn how to fuel their bodies in a healthy and non-restrictive manner

Are confused about the fitness and nutrition messaging on the internet

Know they need to lift weights but don’t know where to start

Have been told they have insulin resistance, high blood sugar, metabolic syndrome, or otherwise need to exercise more for medical reasons

Want to meet other like-minded women in a judgement-free fitness space

Program Format

1 x weekly in-person small-group training session

1 weekly recorded mini lesson for you to listen to on your own time

Program FAQs

If you are a current patient of Shivaune’s, your total investment is $700.

A $100 (plus HST) program fee payment is required up-front; a payment of $75 per session (HST exempt) is processed after each group session (for a total of $600). You will receive an invoice after each payment to submit to your insurance provider. Direct billing service is not provided for program sessions.

If you are not already a patient of Shivaune’s, you will need to book a pre-program assessment at $185 (HST exempt).

If you haven’t had a visit with Shivaune for 6 months or more, you will need to book a pre-program reassessment at $155 (HST exempt).

Blood tests and supplements might be recommended in your pre-program assessment or throughout the program based on your individual needs, with varying costs, however you are not obligated to purchase them to continue with the program.

Many extended insurance plans will cover the cost of naturopathic care. If you have employee benefits or third-party private insurance, it may cover all or part of the cost of group sessions.

Following receipt of your payment after each session, you will be provided with an itemized receipt to submit to your insurance provider.

For any amount not covered by your health insurance plan, you may be eligible to claim these on your income tax return as an eligible medical expense. Canada Revenue Agency has confirmed that health services provided by naturopathic doctors are eligible medical expenses.

Group training sessions will take place at Bomb Fitness at 862 Kingston Road. A weekly learning module will be sent to you each week for you to watch before each session.

In order to gain maximum benefit from the program, it is highly recommended that you attend each group session. Since the space in the program is reserved for you, if you’re not able to attend a particular session, it is requested that you provide a minimum of 24-hours’ notice to avoid being charged a missed session fee equal to the session cost, ($75 plus HST).

Since we are working in a group, we are not able to accommodate major injuries. If your injury is minor and you’ve been cleared to participate in modified physical activity you may participate. If you’re still unsure, please schedule a free 15 minute discovery call.

Absolutely. One of the goals of the program is to educate women about their bodies and what happens as hormones change when they transition through perimenopause into menopause, and it is my firm belief that the earlier in life we start building muscle, the better prepared we are when the time comes that we really need it.

Yes! The strategies we’re deploying are for women who are losing, or who have lost their own estrogen production. This natural decline in estrogen results in the loss of muscle mass, and so we need to create the right environment and provide the right stimulus for making muscle, and I’m excited to teach you how!

Meet Your Coach

Dr. Shivaune is a Naturopathic Doctor with over 20 years of experience in the health and fitness industry. Her journey started in high performance athletics as a teen doing competitive sprint canoe and kayak racing and swimming, cross training for which included weight lifting.

After completing her undergrad degree in Kinesiology and Phys Ed, she spent almost a decade as a Personal Trainer, and included working with everyone from competitive tennis athletes, seniors and weekend warriors.

Alongside her clinical practice, Dr Shivaune knew she needed to bridge the gap between the reasons why women stick to the cardio machine and avoid the weight racks, hence the program series Muscle Is Medicine was born.