Group Fitness? Yeah Baby!

I have been teaching group fitness classes for over 10 years, but my love of group fitness started well before that. 

I was first introduced to this form of exercising when I participated in a Step class at the tender age of 16. I was hooked from the moment I first tapped my foot on the step. This class combined all the things I loved: music, dancing, and fitness and I haven't looked back! 

Over the years, I have taught a variety of classes and styles including step, spinning, bootcamps, high-low, boxfit, weight training for women and yoga.  Whether I am the partcipant or the instructor,  being a part of a group fitness class raises my spirits, increases my energy and keeps me working hard the entire time.  Still not convinced that group fitness is right for you? Maybe you will be after reading this!

Benefits of participating in a group fitness class:

• Meet new people and foster a connection with your community.  This is especially important for new moms and moms2be.   Meet other women who share similar interests, and who can help keep you motivated and hold you accountable (they will notice if you are MIA)
• Get inspired by your instructor.  The energy of a great instructor will set the tone of the workout and can encourage you along as you work towards your goals.
• Let the music motivate you & pump you up. 
• Enjoy the variety of a fitness class to avoid workout plateaus and banish boring workouts!
• Experience Self Motivation.  You are likely you to work harder when you workout alongside someone else than if you are at home or on a piece of gym equipment.
• More cost effective than hiring a personal trainer.
• Learn something new.  Find new and fun ways to strengthen your body and incorporate these new exercises into your at home routine.

I know I am not alone out there.  Feel free to share your reasons for participating in a group fitness class :)

Open House with Fitmom Durham

This week I am really excited to be hosting an open house for all of our classes at FITMOM Durham.

 

If you have not yet had a chance to try our classes out, then I invite you to come over and have some fun getting fit with your baby or toddler during the week of January 14-18, 2013

Let's make 2013 the most health focused year of your life!

FITMOM2Be/PreYoga

This class is perfectly suited for all moms2be! It is is the perfect balance of muscle conditioning to develop strong, stable muscles to support your changing body and Yoga postures that stretch and strengthen your body for birth.

FITMOM+Baby:

The most popular FITMOM indoor class. Shape and sculpt your body using your baby as added weight resistance. Each class is a full body workout designed to improve your core strength, burn fat and build muscle. You can expect to see longer, leaner arms, toned and shapely legs and smaller waistlines. Exercise without the guilt, meet other women in your community and have fun.

FITMOM+Baby Bootcamp

This high energy class will give you the energy you need to get through any day! A combination of intervals, circuits, plyometrics, strength training and great music delivered in signature FITMOM style. Babies are incorporated throughout the class. Suitable for all fitness levels.

SNAP Pickering captured us in action this morning at the FITMOM+Baby Bootcamp Monday's at10:30am
Mommy's lunged, squated and did push ups all using their baby's as motivation & resistance.

 

The little things....

Five 'free' things that make me happy:

5. A really, long, hot shower.

4. A good cup of tea

3. My yoga practice

2. Snuggling with my boys watching a movie

1.Enjoying the fresh air and a run to clear my head.

2012: A Year in Review

Happy New Year!  I welcome 2013 with open arms!

Last night we rang in the New Year with some great friends, and even made some new ones.  The boys came along and had a chance to play with their friends and we all experienced the countdown to 2013 as a family.  It was the latest the boys have ever stayed up (and to be honest, I was fearing the wrath of the tired kids post-party) but it was such a hoot to live it up with them.

Today we are much more relaxed enjoying some quiet, personal time in the house.  Since this happens so rarely, I thought I would take advantage of the peace and quiet and spend some time reflecting on 2012.

Family Day 2012

The year of 2012 FITMOM Durham celebrated it's third birthday. This obviously would not be possible without the love and support of my family and of course all of you!  Thank you for choosing FITMOM Durham.  I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting all of you and being a part of your pregnancy as well as your baby's first year. 

This year was also very exciting as many of you have also added to your clan in 2012. It has been a sincere pleasure to be a part of your health & wellness plan during your pregnancy and now as you join in the FITMOM+Baby classes for the 2nd time around!

StrollerStrength Summer 2012

I have also received many more emails the past few weeks with exciting announcements about baby number two's pending birth date. I am pretty jazzed to meet the new little brothers & sisters of 2013. 







My boys!

Personally, the year of 2012 also held some major milestones.  Our family kicked off the summer season with a wedding. We had a great time celebrating  the union of my sister in-law and her new husband with all our friends & family. 

September also marked my 10 year wedding anniversary. My husband Mark and I celebrated  with a trip to Aruba.  It was a fantastic holiday that will stand out for quite some time!


Aruba 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also ran my first ever 10k race this year.  It was a fantastic physical and mental challenge and I had tons of fun training and preparing for the Oasis Zoo Run with many of you.  I look forward to training with many of more of you in the Spring of 2013.

 Run Club 2012 training for the Oasis 10k

As I look back on the year of 2012 I can surely proclaim that it was a pretty outstanding year.  Certainly there were some ups and downs, and some personal challenges that I experienced,  but I am happy to say that my outlook for 2013 is nothing but positive. 

After a short break over this Christmas Holiday I am feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.  I am most certainly looking forward to another great year with FITMOM Durham alongside all of you.  Stay tuned for more information about our 2nd annual fitness challenge and I look forward to seeing you in class very soon!

Looking ahead & planning for the New Year

Are you the type of person who makes a New Year's Resolution?

Will you be doing the same this year?

Would you like to be able to stay committed to the plans or goals that you have set for yourself?

If you are ready to make some changes in your life, and want to see them through, then perhaps you will consider the following tips to help you achieve those goals!

1. Determine what changes you need to make, or would like to make to be a healthier and happier you.  Do you need to spend more quality time with a friend, spouse or child?  
Do you want to lose weight, increase your energy or just feel better about yourself?   The stronger you feel about the reason for the change, the more likely you are to see it through.

2. Create a goal.  Remember to keep it S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and set a Time Frame).  The more specific the goal, the easier it will be to achieve it.

3. Develop a Plan.  How are you going to achieve this goal?  Lay out the steps you need to follow in order to achieve it.  For example, if you want to lose weight (often the number 1 Resolution), then what steps will you need to follow to achieve this?  Perhaps it looks like this: 1. Bring healthy snacks to work to avoid vending machines. 2. Turn off the t.v. earlier and go to bed to avoid late night eating. 3. Join a gym or hire a personal trainer to get you off the couch.

4.Track your efforts. Writing down your accomplishments and the mini-goals you achieve every day will help keep you motivated.  It will also show you if you need to make any adjustments to your plan, especially if you are having a hard time with accountability.  Perhaps the goal you set was too lofty, and you need to make some changes to be successful. 

I wish you the best of luck in 2013 as you strive to make this year a memorable one. 

Making time for fitness over the holidays

The holidays are such a busy time, making it is easy to fall out of your regular routine.  Below are a few tips to help you build in time for fitness over this busy holiday season:

• Park farther away from your destination each time you go out
• Commit to a brisk walk for 10-15 minutes before or after any family meal
• Plan social activities around fitness: skating party, bowling, tobogganing or skiing
• If you are travelling, visit a friends gym or yoga studio (the first class is often free)

Sometimes, even when you have the best intentions, fitting it all in is just too much.  So if you happen to have a few days where you happen to miss the mark, give yourself a break and just enjoy all that is fun this holiday season!

Staying on track this holiday season

The holidays are fast approaching!  Are you ready for it?  This weekend we put up our Christmas tree with the boys.  It was a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon. For us, the holiday season officially begins when the tree is up and we have watched my all time favourite Christmas movie: White Christmas.  We were able to do both this weekend.  So bring on the holidays!

Our family calendar is also quickly filling up with social commitments to celebrate and enjoy all that is great with family & friends.  This means lots of parties and lots of food!  I am sure it is the same for you and your family too.  However, if you are looking for ways to keep fit and on track with your personal health goals, then perhaps you will find the following suggestions helpful. 

• Replace eating a handful of salted Mixed Nuts  for a handful of Wasabi peas
• Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed
• Replace a plate of cheese & crackers with Hummus and pita wedges
• Enjoy your favourite holiday treat, and take the time to eat and savour it
• Replace Shortbread cookies with Gingerbread cookies
• Enjoy a variety of fresh vegetables and fruit to keep your plate balanced
• Replace a 5 oz glass of red wine  with a Red-Wine Spritzer
• If you overeat at one meal, try to make the next meal lighter
• Continue to make time for exercise.  Studies have shown that when people continue to engage in physical fitness over the holidays, they are less likely to gain any unwanted weight.

Happy Holidays!