Burn, baby burn!

Many people talk about the benefits of a cardiovascular activity (and I won’t even dream of disagreeing, because yes, it is extremely important), however, sometimes, we miss out on the muscle-building side of the equation.

Strengthening, toning, building muscles – whatever you want to call it – will burn more calories at rest. Period. Bigger muscles use more calories, every hour of every day – while you sleep, while you watch TV, and while you type. So, if you’re looking for additional ways to use those calories while eating the same amount, try ensuring your workout includes some strength training.

And ladies, you’ll never get bulky by lifting weights. Trust me.

- Daisy

You have 2 options

I always try out different things to say or do in my classes to engage participants. Whether they’ve been coming to class for a while, or they’re new, I know especially in the new year, just how hard it can be to get on, and then stay on a fitness routine.

I can’t say it enough times. I’ve been there and done that.

One of the things that makes a class extra special is when there is fabulous interaction between instructor and members. With added interaction comes increased energy levels – it’s a level of group dynamics that brings out the best in everyone. Individuals see other individuals sweating and trying. They can see that, we are in fact, all on the same boat, all out of breath, all working hard.

Then come the options. I always explain to people the physical options they have, jumping, non-jumping, arms, no-arms etc. I also have a friendly reminder that everyone’s goal is to have a good time in class – to have fun. Most recently, I added an option in to help pull it all together. You can choose to smile, or yell. Hooting and hollering always brings out the very best classes and burns just a few more calories for the most efficient workout.

Next time you go for a sweat, don’t forget your mandatory smile or yell, for that little extra ummph.

- Daisy

Incredible 6 Min. Demo Class

Found this video done in Brazil and thought – COOL. It looks like a 6 min demo of:

BodyVive
BodyJam
Something crazy on a mini trampoline?!!
BodyCombat
BodyAttack (that’s one of the ones I teach!)

WOW! It’s the program that I teach, and I have never seen a short, sweet demonstration of the classes like this. I hope the trampoline one comes to Canada!

- Daisy

Super Rudeness

The more I teach, the more I need to stretch.  After teaching the last class of the evening, and after everyone else had left, I decided to take some me-time to really stretch and submerse myself with music from the studio stereo.

The room has a wall of ‘windows’ looking out to the rest of the gym and even with all the lights off, there are a few still on and anyone can still see me to one corner stretching.  So, with flowing music, I enjoyed a few yoga poses and stretches.

At one point, while in a swan’s pose, I noticed in one of the mirrors that someone had come into the studio.  As I continued, I thought nothing of their entrance until my eyes were shocked into brightness when she turned on all the lights (there were 3 light switches).  It is very clear now if it wasn’t before, that I was in the room stretching with the lights off and the music on pretty loud.  She then proceeded to walk across the studio, pick up an excercise ball and then bounce the ball (like it was a basket ball) to the other side of the studio where she planned to do her thing.

You can only imagine what was going through my head with every bounce.

As I tried to calm my breath, I had a lot of difficulty thinking of her motivation for what I can only describe as purposely finding ways to make the environment the least favourable for someone trying to stretch.  At one point, I even think I saw a smirk on her face and wondered what I had ever done to her.

I am not suggesting that the studio was for my use exclusively and would have happily encouraged anyone else to use it as well.  However, there is such a thing as respectfully sharing space.

Turning on one light, no bouncing balls, you know – that sort of thing, and in return, I would have turned down the music.  As it was, I left soon after since the moment had been lost to me.

I hate when I allow other people to ruin my moments.  So instead, I drove away with the song on loud in my car as I tried to relax without the stretch.  It worked too.  The stretch just would have made it that much better.

I think she’s happy she ruined my moment, and if that’s where she gets her enjoyment in life, then I feel very sad for her.  She must have learned some pretty sad and pathetic lessons in life to go through it being purposely rude.

- Daisy

Stinky Clothes – Be GONE

I have been dealing with stinky clothes for a while.  I never understood the issue before when people would talk about kids and their hockey equipment, and how no matter what, they could not get the stuff cleaned.  I inaccurately attributed it to the fact that it was a bunch of teenage boys and their stinkiness – there must be something different about the way they treated their clothes or perhaps they stink a little more.  I didn’t know.  But it didn’t really matter to me because it was not a problem that I had.  Until recently.

I began teaching fitness classes on a regular basis and my fitness clothes are mostly branded with certain logos of the classes I teach.  When the frequency increased a bit, I found a funny thing began to happen.  My clothes began to smell, and I mean, in a not so nice way – think hockey equipment but not quite so bad.

Now, these are clothes that have been properly washed in the washing machine wtih good ol’ detergent that has always worked before, and what I found strange is that when I put on the top, they might be okay to start, but as soon as I started moving around, all of a sudden, they would smell.  And the smell would bother me so much that I didn’t want to be in it any longer.  Now imagine wearing a top and it begins to smell 5 minutes into a 60 minute class.  Acckk.

I tried re-washing and re-washing.  I tried no-no’s like hot water.  I asked other instructors.  I tried things.  I bought new clothes (oh yes – I couldn’t get away from the stink you know) but purchasing new tops would get awfully expensive if their shelf-life was too short.  I ended up trying something that has been my miraculous saviour – OXYCLEAN.

I’ve had Oxyclean in my basement for a while, but it never occurred to me to try this.  I gave it a whirl putting a tiny scoop of Oxyclean in with regular detergent and darn it – I can’t help but sink my nose into my tops now as all I smell is clean.  Even the stinkiest top that I left in the car (for emergency purposes only) – I can wear that one again and not feel like everyone is turning their nose up at the sight/smell of me.

Oxyclean.  I don’t own any stock.  I don’t work for the company.  I don’t work for any distributors either.  No connection whatsoever.  I don’t know how exactly it works, but if you have stinky exercise clothes, try it out.

- Daisy

How many showers is too many?

At times, it feels like I’m spending my morning, noon and night at the gym, and then in the shower.  Oh wait.  I am.

Once in a while, when it’s that special release time when fitness instructors like me end up teaching or practicing up to twice the number of our regular classes, we’ll find ourselves living in our showers.  On one particular day when I had already had 2 showers, and it was only 2pm, I was given a fabulous tip by my hairdresser.  She looked at me as though I had two heads when I told her I already had two showers, and would likely have a third before the day was over.  She asked me if there was any possibility that I not have so many showers and I exclaimed that I become drenched in sweat, and unfortunately, that’s not an option.  She asked me if I also used the ol’ 2in1 shampoo and conditioner.  I told her unfortunately, I do, but only at lunchtime.  She shook her head.  After listening to me tell my shower practices, she told me to try something different next time.  She said, just rinse the sweat out, and then add conditioner.  Bypass the shampoo completely.  It was my turn to look at her like she had 2 heads.  She asked me to please promise to try it the next time.  Well, what could I do but promise to try.  So I did that night.

Well, hallulujah – why didn’t someone tell me that sooner?  It works like a charm.  Sweat will rinse out of your hair easily – there is no need to strip your hair some more when you’ve already done it once already that day.  I can already tell the difference and my hair feels so much better!

Now, if only I can get the stink out of my clothes.  More about that another time.

- Daisy

Ghost of fitness past, present, and future

What does aging gracefully mean, and how in the world do you do it anyway?  I don’t believe it is about accepting your body as is.  Or being complacent with it’s limitations.  Of course, there are limits and rules, however, some rules are meant to be broken.  Aging gracefully is a state of being and all about your attitudes.  With those attitudes, other things follow, and then voila, you become Grace.

I’m sure you’ve heard or seen people who you swear can not possibly be whatever chronological age their birth certificate says.  It just seems to defy your sense of truth, correct?  I’ve seen the ones who look at least 10-20 years older than they really are (the ones I have met have either baked in the sun too often, smoked, or led a very rough alcohol/drug lifestyle in order to show such dramatic signs), while the ones who defy their age by 10 or more years seem to have done something special in one way or another.  They look and act young, they treat their bodies well, and challenge their bodies to do things that you’d think someone their age would have difficulty doing.  Many people seem to think that being physically fit is only really possible for the young.  BS.  Anyone can be fit, at any age.  Age has nothing to do with what our bodies can and can not do. 

I have defied my chronological age by doing things now, that I never could have done 10, 15, 20 years ago.  Am I aging?  Absolutely – there are definately things that are showing signs of aging, however, they aren’t the important parts.  I can certainly SLOW, sometimes, STOP, and maybe even REVERSE the aging in many other life-altering ways.  I can have a stronger heart and lungs – a great cardiovascular system – I can have better posture, stronger muscles throughout, even stronger bones.  The inverse of these are little grannies and grandpas hunched over with weak muscles, difficulty balancing, and brittle bones – in other words, signs of aging.  Does this mean I’m breaking a rule?  Not at all – that rule simply wasn’t true to begin with.

It would be an understatement if I said that I see a wide variety of people from all ages and all levels of physical fitness on a regular basis.  I know that luckily for me, the ones who are already in my classes have already fought a battle – a sometimes difficult battle of actually getting onto a plan and doing it.  The ones in my class, although from all walks of life, are the cream of the crop compared to the rest of the population.  It amazes me the number of people who do nothing, continue to do nothing, and seem happily complacent about where they are (or may not be happy, but not willing to make any changes).  I wonder what message will get them to consider a change?  And who is most likely on the brink and ready to make that commitment to try?

I know myself for one, needed the baby-making changes in my body to prod me into action.  Like many others, I started after having a baby (mine was 9 months old when I began) when the body didn’t quite get back into shape by itself.  I have heard many other women relay the same story as well.  But it can’t be only the mat-leave moms?  How do we get the rest?

As an aging couch potatoe only a few short years ago, and I wish someone hit me over the head sooner and had a chat with me and painted a beautiful picture of the possibilities for me.  I wish someone could have told me about the impact the endorphin highs would have and the incredible energy levels that would impact all parts of my life.  I really wish someone took the opportunity to tell me sooner.  And if I weren’t listening, I wish there were a way to get the message into my brain one way or another.

In hindsight, I think the message that would have gotten me to really stop and think 15 years ago likely would have been one that foretold the future – one that basically said it was possible for me to be in peak athletic condition 15 years later after investing only a few short years of happy, thrilling physical activity that I could not only do, but do well.  Perhaps even that it takes practice, and with practice, I could be very good.  Something akin to a ghost of fitness past, present and future probably would have shown me the way.

I would have had difficulty believing it.  However, what can I say except that it is true?

I’m done with wishing - the past is the past, and the only thing I can impact is the future, so I’d like to share my beautiful painting of possibilities for others.  What do you think they need to hear, see or do in order to make those first steps?  How do you show them their ghost of fitness past, present and future?

- Daisy

Fit Survivor vs Happy Survivor

I don’t actually watch a lot of TV, but Survivor has been with me since Season 1 and I must confess I doubt I will stop watching it any time soon.  Way back in the previous season, I wrote about Erik’s bonehead move and again, I think what I find fascinating are the group dynamics of the show and how they make decisions that I find surprising. 

Let’s take for example the first episode of the current season.  Tiny little Michelle seems physically able while Gillian is not.  Michelle clearly is unhappy to be on this tribe and is negative and a little rough with others.  Gillian is clearly super positive and also grating on others’ nerves.  They both don’t know how to shut their mouths, and the team ends up voting Michelle off first.

My thoughts on Survivor has always been – vote off the physically weak first.  ALL the challenges in the beginning are physical, and having a weaker tribe will only return you to a vote at night.  The challenges at the beginning can have a mental component, but the make it or break it parts are always physical.  Have these contestents been watching?  You can consider voting others (whether a threat, or grating, etc) only if the teams are well matched, otherwise, your team will never make it to the merge and get out of it intact.  The trick of course, is figuring out when that is and I certainly don’t have the answer.

I’m always stunned at how quickly, they vote off the physically fit team-mates, even when they desparately need them to help win team immunity.  Perhaps the issue is one of leadership – although you’d rather get rid of Gillian and you’ve stated your case, you really can’t keep harping on it, else you’ll move up the ranks to be the next one out and ticking off your team-mates is a surefire way to get booted.

So, what’s the moral of the story?  It’s not about being fit vs being happy or anything else – the way to survive is by getting along with others.  DIdn’t we learn that in Kindergarten?

- Daisy

Good Leaders change your life

I grew up with the impression that I sucked at sports, couldn’t run, and was slower than a turtle. With my tiny frame, low muscle tone, and non-existent skills, I was typically the last in any school-yard pick. In fact, I’ve always joked with people that when it was time for the 100 metre sprint, it would take me 5 seconds to reach my top speed, and I could stay at my top speed for about 3 seconds before slowing down again.

It took me a long time to lose the baggage, and to finally learn some very important lessons about my assumptions of inadequacy.

• Many kids practice skills in after-school programs – they weren’t born with the ability to kick, throw, catch, and run fast
• Genetics is a factor, however, we’re not talking about Olympic-level athletes
• Support is very important

So there is the truth. I had no idea. The worst thing is, I would have continued to believe that genetics was my downfall well into my 20’s and 30’s if it were not for meeting my husband Rob. He was my great leader who believed in my ability to learn and in fact showed me how to catch and throw. You know the saying “throws like a girl”? People only throw like “girls” when they have not been shown how to properly throw. I throw a football pretty darn well – for a girl. He showed me that hand-eye coordination is something that you learn through practice. With each new skill he taught me, I was able to slowly change my assumptions from “can’t do it”, to “haven’t learned how yet”.

We all need good leaders to believe in us, and show us the way.

Bad assumptions can sound a little silly (Iike mine did) when you tell an objective person. Check your closet for baggage and do a bit of soul-searching.

Look for someone to help you debunk those assumptions. Good leaders can be found in all walks of life. Consider people who seem to be:
1. Positive, can-do attitude about everything
2. Supportive of your decision making
3. Been there, and done that

Have fun debunking your myths, and please share your success stories with me.

- Daisy

Hurts so good

“Come on baby, make it hurt so good.”  Ahh, from John Mellancamp.  He’s talking about love, but I can choose to relate it to how my body feels.  I’m afraid I don’t ever recall my muscles being quite this pumped – E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E.  This ‘pumped’ feeling is partially how the body physically feels, plus how I feel mentally as well.

Life is great.  If someone told me years ago, how I’d be feeling these days, I would have ventured on this path much sooner.  That, or I would have told them to take a hike.  If only I could bottle this up and sell it, I’d make a fortune.

Have you ever felt this way?  If you’re not feeling it right now, how do you get there? 

- Daisy