The best personal trainers in Toronto help keep you motivated and support what your mind and body need while paying attention to proper form.

Here are the best personal trainers in Toronto as voted by readers of this site.

Lyzabeth Lopez

The owner of Hourglass Workout on Queen West is the most recognizable name in Toronto’s PT circuit. She’s a social media powerhouse and has even received an endorsement from Khloe Kardashian.

Vlad Radanovic and Paula Ryff

Vlad and Paula are the owners of Ultimate Athletics in Rosedale and have over 20 years of personal training experience. Radanovic, a Jack of all Trades does spinning, boxing and high-energy aerobic classes. Ryff is a former student of the National Ballet of Canada.

Cassie Day

Cassie Day is the owner of All Day Fit, a boutique fitness studio on King West where she offers one-on-one personal coaching. Trained in Kettlebell and boxing, she offers Bootcamp, Kettlebell, and drop-in Saturday classes.

Oleg Armbaroff

The quintessential fitness trainer, Armbaroff uses his Instagram to display his fiercely chiseled abs. His background includes running Antaeus Fitness, training at Sweat Shoppe in Yorkville and Dwell gym in Leslieville.

Julian Thomas

With more than a decade of experience as a personal trainer, Thomas generally trains clients at at private facility in Yorkville although he also does workshops at places like Primal Movement. Check out his Facebook for motivational and other fitness tips.

Greg Van Niekerk

One of the owners of Lift Crossfit in Corktown, Van Niekerk is certified in Olympic weightlifting and gymnastics. A session with him will set you back $100 but he promises the time will be the best part of your day.

Stephanie Katona

The owner of SKLPT in Yorkville, Katona specializes in muscle building and training for runners. Her main offering is a 12 week training program but also offers a variety of more customized options.

Jeffry Chan

A bodybuilder and owner of Tdotfitness who isn't afraid to show off his muscles on Instagram, Chan splits his time training clients in Markham and Toronto. He's also quite active posting videos of training sessions on YouTube.

Paul Hynes

Hynes is a personal fitness trainer at Bang Fitness on Queen West where he focuses on strength and conditioning. He holds certification in Strongfirst and is a competitive Powerlifter. A former art school grad, he now trains clients to focus on proper weightlifting techniques.

Sarah Truesdale

Sarah is a trainer and class instructor who does private at-home training sessions. She focuses on sports training and functional fitness. Her background includes classical Ballet and contemporary dance.

Sandy LeBlanc

A personal trainer, yoga teacher and running coach at Fit Journey, LeBlanc created the functional-strength, HIIT based "Cross Train Runners" program using TRX, kettlebells and free weights.

Chris Brown

Part of the talented three person team at Optimal Body Fitness, Brown is a personal trainer, competitive bodybuilder and fitness model.

Thanks to Mayfair Clubs for sponsoring this post.

Part of the Honest Ed's sign will be saved! In a wholly surprising but entirely welcome move, David Mirvish has arranged with the developer of the Honest Ed's site to preserve a significant chunk of the sign and install it at the Ed Mirvish Theatre.

“I’m delighted to announce that we have found a way to move the 30-foot-tall by 60-foot-wide Honest Ed’s sign from the corner of Markham and Bloor streets to the Ed Mirvish Theatre in the Yonge/Dundas neighbourhood,” says Mirvish in a press release.

The whole sign can't be saved, but this portion will be dismantled and moved to a warehouse where it will be refurbished before being attached to a metal structure at the theatre.

"It is fitting that a sign from the original store that made it possible for my father to become involved in theatre will now grace the venue that is named for him," Mirvish explains.

While the theatre has a Yonge St. entrance, the sign will be installed facing Victoria St. where Mirvish says there has always been signage. 

Beyond just saving the sign, what's so nice about this is that the site of its future re-installation makes so much sense. David Mirvish had taken some heat for the perception that he hadn't done enough to preserve Honest Ed's legacy, but this will likely put such talk to rest.

Well done, Toronto.

Bundle up, Toronto. If you're still recovering from yesterday's slippery commute, brace yourself because it doesn't look like the winter weather is going to let up anytime soon.

According to the Weather Network, we're going to be in for a cold few days.

The City of Toronto issued an extreme cold weather alert today. While it might not seem super chilly outside right now, temperatures are expected to plummet later today, and it could feel like -18 C tonight.

In extreme cold weather alerts, the city recommends taking precautions when heading outside. It also says to look out for vulnerable neighbours, friends and family members.

Above average temperatures are expected to return for the weekend.

The HMV store at Yonge and Dundas is closing all of its remaining stores on April 30, but don't expect any liquidation-style sales just yet.

An HMV customer rep says there's actually still a steady flow of new stock coming in. This means you won't see shockingly-low, fire sale pricing at 333 Yonge Street until far closer to closing date.

In fact, the closing narrative at HMV is actually a bit bizarre, as sales are reportedly on the upswing despite the lack of stock liquidation. "We've been slammed," says the rep. "It's insane."

@HMVSuperstore Heard the news. Deeply saddened, but forever grateful for the memories. Thanks for fighting the good fight. Much love.

— Kevin Loxley (@kevinloxley) January 28, 2017

Perhaps one reason why there's been surge in sales at this HMV is the nostalgia factor. There's a whole generation who grew up buying their music at stores like this, and that experience draws them out for a last look.

The staff at @HMVSuperstore in TO have always been stellar. Great conversations about music and movies that you will never get online.

— Mike G (@TheMikeGShow) January 28, 2017

The store's Twitter feed, for instance, has been lit up with memories and heartwarming stories since the closure was announced. The Yonge St. flagship is a unique beast that has its own associations for many people over and above the chain itself.

 @HMVSuperstore My aunt introduced me to HMV 333 Yonge in 1993 and I've been dropping into the store once a week ever since! I'll miss HMV. pic.twitter.com/qNbU15hykI

— Kirk DeMatas (@KirkDeMatas) February 3, 2017

Keep an eye out for massive sale signs in the windows of the three-story Yonge Street store as they begin rolling out reductions on remaining stock sometime in early spring.

Anti-Valentine's Day events in Toronto will let you eschew all of the romance associated with this holiday. Whether you need to smash something or watch a horror movie, there are some great alternative ways to celebrate this month.

The hottest restaurants in Toronto right now have folks lining up and OpenTable saying you're out of luck. From a German beer hall to a much-anticipated Kensington Market arrival, there's lots to love about Toronto's dining scene right now.

Here are my picks for Toronto's current crop of hottest restaurants.

La Banane

The French restaurant on Ossington is Instagram-famous for their dessert Disco Egg but you're also going to want to queue up to get a taste of their seafood offerings, whipped chicken liver and pastry-encrusted bass.

Lake Inez

A teeny lake in Michigan and global flavours are brought together at this Little India restaurant featuring Asian snacks to bolster cocktails like the Tokyo Hotel Bar with sake and yuzu.

STK Toronto

International chain STK's swanky spot in Yorkville will serve you steaks costing hundreds of dollars, luxurious sliders, grits and donuts in a club-like environment.

Awai

This unconventional plant-based restaurant in Bloor West Village is just as off-beat with their restaurant conventions as they are their menu, operating on a no-gratuity basis. This is hardly unusual from chef Nathan Isberg, formerly of the no-menu, pay-what-you-want Atlantic.

Baro

Chef Steven Gonzalez is churning out fancy drinks with aged ice cubes and edible petals, ceviche flights, and tons of elevated bar finger food like empanadas and guacamole on King West.

Planta

What’s hotter right now than eating ethically? Very little, it would appear, according to the popularity of this Yorkville plant-based eatery headed up by David Lee. Everyone is town is just itching to try this place’s beet juice cocktails, coconut ceviche and veggie burgers.

Piano Piano

From the folks behind Splendido, this wildly popular Italian restaurant is impossible to dine at. Located on Harbord, they’re not reinventing the wheel with rustic pizzas and pastas, but those who love carbs are willing to line up to fill up on their favourites.

Oretta

This new Italian joint on King West is just as impressive for its sweeping architecture and cool retro-influenced decor as its menu of comforting but upscale dishes straight from nonna’s kitchen. Mortadella and pistachio pizza, tagliatelle, and lamb are all on the menu.

Otto's Bierhalle

This beer hall on West Queen West just recently rolled out the ability to make reservations, and it looks increasingly like they’re going to need it with a packed house on weekends that resembles the Berlin clubs this place is inspired by rather than a German restaurant.

Grey Gardens

A new wine bar from Jen Agg is already creating a ton of buzz in Toronto. The Augusta Avenue restaurant just opened and features organic wines and ciders from local breweries.

The TTC has had a customer charter since 2013. It's a useful document designed to keep Toronto's transit provider on the path to improvement while providing a small measure of accountability when it misses that mark.

The 2017 edition was recently released without much fanfare, but it actually contains lots of exciting news regarding planned improvements and benchmarks that we can expect to see before the end of the year.

Some of the major goals on the docket this year are the completion of the Wi-Fi rollout, the installation of PRESTO at every single subway entrance, and the grandaddy of them all, the opening of the Spadina Subway Extension. 

Along with these major goals, there are a host of other promises that the TTC has made to improve the rider experience each quarter this year. Below are some of the highlights.

January to March

• Completion of the musician stages pilot project to improve TTC station entertainment
• Expanded eligibility for Wheel Trans service

April to June

• Expand bike repair stop network by an additional 10 stations
• Install time-saving signal priority technology at 15 intersections
• Install 200 passenger vehicle arrival information displays in shelters
• Ensure the 514 Cherry route is serviced by new, fully accessible streetcars
• All entrances at 43 subway stations will have new PRESTO-enabled fare gates

July to September

• Start construction on four priority bus lanes across the city
• Install new high-capacity bike parking racks at 25 subway stations
• Work with Bike Share Toronto to incorporate docking stations at a minimum of five TTC stations
• Launch pilot project on solar-powered passenger information displays 

October to December

• Work with the Bombardier to have a minimum of 40 new streetcars on property
• Reduce delays by 10% on all subway lines (incidents and minutes)
• 30% of Line 3 train interior refurbishments complete
• Introduce a new customer service agent role at eight subway stations to replace the collector
• Wi-Fi available at 100% of stations.
• Start phasing out legacy fare media
• Put 300-plus new buses in service to replace aging buses
• Reduce streetcar short turns to less than in 2016
• Open six-stop Spadina Subway Extension

The final quarter is unsurprisingly more robust than the previous ones, as the TTC tries to bring its projects together before the end of the calendar year. 

It's worth bearing in mind, however, that some of the timing here is actually conservative. The completion of the Wi-Fi rollout will likely happen in the second quarter, as one example. 

In any case, there are some ambitious plans on the table. Let's check back at the end of the year to see how the TTC did. The whole 2017 TTC customer charter can be found on their website.

The TTC has had a customer charter since 2013. It's a useful document designed to keep Toronto's transit provider on the path to improvement while providing a small measure of accountability when it misses that mark.

The 2017 edition was recently released without much fanfare, but it actually contains lots of exciting news regarding planned improvements and benchmarks that we can expect to see before the end of the year.

Some of the major goals on the docket this year are the completion of the Wi-Fi rollout, the installation of PRESTO at every single subway entrance, and the grandaddy of them all, the opening of the Spadina Subway Extension. 

Along with these major goals, there are a host of other promises that the TTC has made to improve the rider experience each quarter this year. Below are some of the highlights.

January to March

• Completion of the musician stages pilot project to improve TTC station entertainment
• Expanded eligibility for Wheel Trans service

April to June

• Expand bike repair stop network by an additional 10 stations
• Install time-saving signal priority technology at 15 intersections
• Install 200 passenger vehicle arrival information displays in shelters
• Ensure the 514 Cherry route is serviced by new, fully accessible streetcars
• All entrances at 43 subway stations will have new PRESTO-enabled fare gates

July to September

• Start construction on four priority bus lanes across the city
• Install new high-capacity bike parking racks at 25 subway stations
• Work with Bike Share Toronto to incorporate docking stations at a minimum of five TTC stations
• Launch pilot project on solar-powered passenger information displays 

October to December

• Work with the Bombardier to have a minimum of 40 new streetcars on property
• Reduce delays by 10% on all subway lines (incidents and minutes)
• 30% of Line 3 train interior refurbishments complete
• Introduce a new customer service agent role at eight subway stations to replace the collector
• Wi-Fi available at 100% of stations.
• Start phasing out legacy fare media
• Put 300-plus new buses in service to replace aging buses
• Reduce streetcar short turns to less than in 2016
• Open six-stop Spadina Subway Extension

The final quarter is unsurprisingly more robust than the previous ones, as the TTC tries to bring its projects together before the end of the calendar year. 

It's worth bearing in mind, however, that some of the timing here is actually conservative. The completion of the Wi-Fi rollout will likely happen in the second quarter, as one example. 

In any case, there are some ambitious plans on the table. Let's check back at the end of the year to see how the TTC did. The whole 2017 TTC customer charter can be found on their website.

Toronto and traffic jams are usually pretty synonymous, especially during the summer months when construction projects ramp up. One such initiative will likely cause lots of road-related disruptions later this year.

That's because the city will be replacing the ramp from the eastbound Gardiner to York, Bay and Yonge streets. The new, shorter ramp will connect with Lower Simcoe Street.

Construction on this is $30 million project is slated to start on April 17 and should finish by January 2018. 

Throughout the process, the city says some eastbound intersections along Lake Shore will be shut down on certain weekends. From April to January,  eastbound Lake Shore Boulevard and Harbour Street - from Lower Simcoe to Bay - will be down to two lanes.

Cyclists should also take note because Martin Goodman Trail will be closed between Rees and Lower Simcoe.

As previously reported, the removal of this ramp will let the city add additional green space to this part of the downtown core.

According to Newstalk 1010, the city will revamp the park at the southeast corner of York and Harbour.

Toronto's love affair with Drake sometimes makes it hard to realize he's actually a global phenomenon. 

Proof of this came today when the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) named Drake the world's best selling recording artist of 2016.

The IFPI is a group that represents and promotes the recording industry worldwide, and the honour recognizes the top selling artists via physical sales, downloads and streaming. David Bowie came in second. 

Earlier, Grammy nominated Views became the first album to reach one billion streams on Apple Music, and "One Dance" was the first song ever to reach a billion streams on Spotify. Drake also had the highest grossing hip hop tour ever, but that's another story.

Drake is the fourth artist ever to be named top Global Recording Artist. One Direction (2013), Taylor Swift (2014) and Adele (2015) took the top spots in previous years. 

A Toronto cinema is showing its solidarity with those who oppose Trump's anti-Muslim travel ban by screening films from the seven nations whose citizens were denied entry into the U.S.

Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema presents Ban This Series from March 6 to 8 and it features a collection of films from Libya, Yemen, Iran, Somalia, Syria, Iraq and Sudan. 

THE WAR SHOW trailer from DOXBIO on Vimeo.

"Over the past few weeks, we've struggled as a team to figure out how we can utilize the cinema to show work that will remind people that everybody has a story, all of which hold value and meaning," said Alan Black, managing director for Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, in a press release.

All movies included in the series are free to attend and there will be opportunities before and after the screenings to donate to two non-profit organizations, including the National Council of Canadian Muslims and Canadian Journalists for Free Expression.

See the list of movies and showtimes here.

Since we already have just about every type of food festival in Toronto, it's no surprise that we're getting one focusing solely on dim sum.

Drink inc., the company behind events such as the Toronto Wine & Spirit Festival, will debut this newfangled feast on March 8 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the City Hall Rotunda.

For a green twist, Drink inc., calls this event Sustainable Dim Sum and it's partnering with Live Green Toronto and Ocean Wise. Participating chefs and restaurants will apparently create bite-sized snacks made with fresh and local ingredients.

Tickets, which include all food and drink items, are now on sale for $55 each. 

Here's all a list of all the vendors. More might be added closer to March 8:

• Cafe Belong
• Dailo
• Daniel et Daniel
• Kanpai
• Lake Inez
• Pure Spirits
• Hawthorne Food and Drink
• Bruce Wine Bar
• Ceili Cottage
• Pork Ninjas
• C-fu Foods
• 401 Cidery
• Beau’s All Natural Brewing Co.
• Brickworks Ciderhouse
• Mill St. Brewery
• Muskoka Brewery
• Walter Caesar Mix

Do you know how long your TTC subway commute takes? How about how long it's supposed to take? These are often two dramatically different measurements, where the former obscures our awareness of the latter.

Still, I suspect most riders would be interested to know what the ideal travel times are between subway stations. 

Various efforts have been made to track travel times on the TTC over the years, including a map designed by James Rosselet that provides estimates for both subway and streetcar routes based on Google and self-gathered data.

Perhaps the most useful of these resources is the TTC's old Subway Travel Time Calculator, which is exactly what it sounds like: a master document for calculating commute times across the subway and Scarborough RT.

The document was removed from the TTC website years ago when a more advanced trip planner was implemented, but I find that it's still accurate when things are running smoothly, which is its purpose in the first place. 

When using the chart, it's important to remember that it doesn't factor in the time it takes to change lines or the longer periods that trains spend in stations during rush hour when boarding time is elongated (particularly when people lean on the doors).

When you match up your station of origin with your destination, the number you're getting is the estimated travel time between the subway doors closing and then re-opening at your departure stop.

What it doesn't include is the time it takes to walk to the station from your house, how long it takes to buy gum at the newsstand, the time you spend on the platform, any kind of delay, and how long it takes to depart the station.

So if my regular commute from Lansdowne to Osgoode typically takes 25 minutes, in ideal conditions only half of that would be spent on a moving subway train. The rest would be all of the other elements on my trip. Having casually timed this out on a few occasions, this prediction proves true.

The next time you're caught in a subway delay, you can think back to this chart and realize that when things are running smoothly, it would usually take under two minutes to travel between stations.

Today in Toronto you can either see an art show, a couple of great concerts, colour some x-rated drawings, or party like the 13-year-old rock star you never got to be at The Drake's teen dream, building-wide coming-of-age birthday party. 

Toronto's newest office tower is one of the nicer additions to the skyline in some time. You've probably already noticed the EY Tower rising in the Financial District, even if you didn't know its name.

It's the angular blue glass one that now competes with the view of First Canadian Place when you look south from City Hall. From a distance, the thing that makes the  Kohn Pedersen Fox-designed building distinct is its clean lines crystalline roof, but looking at it from its front side, a whole different picture emerges.

Rewind two decades and this was the site of considerable controversy. 100 Adelaide St. West had long been the home of the Concourse Building (1928), but after being purchased by Oxford Properties, plans were put forward to demolish the original building, which the city approved in 2000.

There was always a plan to preserve elements of the original Art Deco building, but despite its poor condition, cries of facadism were hurled from critics of the new development. 

It would take more than a decade for plans to finalized for the new tower, but as they were honed, the picture that came to light was of a gorgeous-looking modern tower rising above the prominent shell of the Concourse Building on the south and east sides. 

I've always felt a certain ambivalence toward the project based on a desire to preserve older buildings with considerable design merits and the feeling that this project did just enough to ensure that the original structure maintained an important part of the streetscape. 

Now that the project is nearing completion (it topped off last June), the integration of old and new becomes more clear. They've done a bang up job on the rebuilt facade, restoring the J.E.H. MacDonald mosaics that line the prominent arch entrance, and restoring/rebuilding the exterior flourishes that made the Concourse beautiful in the first place.

If you squint your eyes while walking along Adelaide, it possible to block out the newer structure and imagine that you're walking along the street in when the Concourse Building was first completed. It doesn't last long, but brief moments like these are worth cultivating.

There's still work to be done on the interior of the building, including the ground level, which is supposed to retain some of the character of the original. It's hard to tell exactly how this will play out right now, but if the exterior is any indication, there's reason to be confident. 

Perhaps the tolerance for facade preservations like this one go up when the new building passes the design test. Or perhaps the effort to restore elements in a meticulous manner allows us to have faith in the new builders. 

When the EY Tower opens for business later this year, the spirit of the Concourse Building will remain. A ghost it will be, but perhaps a happy one. 

Valentine's Day events in Toronto include totally romantic dinner destinations over the city, but if you want to do something a little different, consider some of these more adventurous ideas.

Food on campus usually seems like a safe (albeit sometimes bland) bet if you're hungry between classes. However, a new City News investigation shows that these on-campus eateries might not have the best GPAs.

After around 200 students fell ill at Humber College's North Campus earlier this year, City News decided to look at the DineSafe (Toronto Public Health's food safety program) results for restaurants at Toronto's universities and colleges.

Over a two year period (until January 2017), City News says 36 establishments had a combined 200 DineSafe infractions.

It's important to note, however, that even though many of these spots received infractions, they still got passing grades (a pass, or green, notice) and not yellow conditional notices or red closed notices. 

City News compiled a list of the worst offenders, and there are representatives from all of the major post-secondary institutions in the city.

Toronto Restaurant Openings highlights the latest restaurant openings and closings in Toronto and also gives a preview of what's coming soon. Find us here every Thursday morning.

Open now

• Grey Gardens, the new wine bar and restaurant by Jen Agg (Black Hoof, Cocktail Bar, Rhum Corner) and chef Mitchell Bates (Momofuku Ko, Momofuku Shoto) made its official debut yesterday at 199 Augusta Ave. in Kensington Market.

Recently reviewed

• Pouridge
• El Local Loco
• The Porch Light
• Tabule (Bayview Village)
• El Charro
• Southern Accent
• Liberty Commons at Big Rock Brewery

Opening soon

• Brunch spot Starving Artist looks to be opening a new location at 505 Mount Pleasant Rd. near Yonge & Eglinton soon. Mmm...waffles.
• Gare de l'Est Brasserie will be opening this spring as part of the new Streetcar Crowsnest theatre at the corner of Dundas & Carlaw in Leslieville. 
• Bob Coffee Bar, a late-night coffee shop from the owners of Lil' Baci, is opening next week at 440 Christie St. in Davenport Village.
• The Poet, a Middle Eastern cafe and tapas spot at 173 King St. E. (by Jarvis), appears to be opening soon.
• South Korean chain Cafe de Paris will be opening a second location in the city, this time at Yonge & Sheppard in North York, later this month.

Closed

• After 15 years, Mexitaco has shuttered in Bloorcourt, and will be moving to 1109 Victoria Park Ave. (at St. Clair Ave. E.) in Scarborough, with plans to open at the new location by the end of the month.
• Tex-Mex diner Coyote Willie in Riverside is also no more, after 28 years in business.

Have you seen restaurants opening or closing in your neighbourhood? Email tips to editors@blogto.com

Even though it's still winter, Toronto can't seem to stop talking about patios. That's because our beloved patio season might be in for some big changes.

While the city hasn't made any decisions about whether or not it'll increase licensing fees for Toronto patios, members of the Disability Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee discussed new restrictions for sidewalk patios at a meeting yesterday.

In a draft plan, as CBC News reports, transportation services says the city should enforce how far patios can encroach onto sidewalks. 

To ensure accessibility of city sidewalks, transportations services suggests patios should maintain clearways of 2.1 metres on main streets and 1.8 metres on side streets in order to ensure there's enough room for passersbys to move through the city.

These restrictions would be a definite boon for pedestrians as well as those with mobility issues. 

According to CBC, the city already has a policy about sidewalk patios maintaining a 2.1 metre clearway, however, not everyone's been following the rules.

We'll soon get a glimpse inside the lifestyles of the city's rich and not-so-famous as The Real Housewives of Toronto airs next month.

The show premieres on March 7 on Slice with six glam women starring in Toronto's version of the reality series franchise. The Real Housewives of Vancouver debuted in 2012 and lasted for two seasons.

Real Housewives Of Toronto fights are going to be the most polite thing ever seen on television.

— ¡ʎpu∀ (@AndyRockCandy) February 9, 2017

Will Toronto's version of the juicy reality show be the most polite ever? Judging by the trailer below, the answer is very much no. Apparently these women aren't your typical Torontonians. 

The Toronto cast includes Gregoriane (Grego) Minot, wife of Pierre Jutras, who runs Toronto's Spoke Club; Ann Kaplan Mulholland, the CEO and president of iFinance Canada Inc.; Joan Kelley Walker, who's married to the CEO of Magna International; and Jana Webb, CEO of Toronto's Joga.  

one of my ex sugar daddies wives is on the real housewives of toronto

— denae (@nosferatuswife) February 9, 2017

The women were cast based on being interconnected, having enviable lifestyles and being outspoken, according to the show's producer in an interview with Flare.

The series hopes to show a luxurious side of Toronto, with dips into that Muskoka cottage clique life as well.