Fit for Life

Resolutions!

2008-12-30T08:20:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone and welcome back to exercise! I recently read an article that said women should not use weight loss...or even overall health... as the primary reason to exercise. What should it be? According to these "specialists," you should exercise for mental health and stress relief.

Classes are cancelled during the last week of December because a leaky roof at the community center sent gallons and gallons of water down into everything. The gear and supplies are all spread out so that the carpet will dry. Consider it a mini-vacation from exercise!

January classes begin Monday the 5th and will continue on Mondays and Wednesdays throughout the month. Prices will remain the same: $20/month or $5/visit. See you there!

Get Moving!

2008-10-02T13:44:00.000-07:00

We are back and working hard in the Fitness Center on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:45 (or 4:00--whenever you can get there). If you haven't come back yet, please do! We miss you!

What's Up?

2008-06-17T21:18:00.000-07:00

Sorry, girls, that I haven't posted to this blog since we started our summer break. I don't know why, but when school gets out, I stop running on all four cylinders. I just can't seem to get things done.

Because of the problems with the pool, swim team did not start this week. I'm thinking they will be up and running next Monday morning. Anyone in for an early morning jaunt? Give me a call or drop me a note!

Last Class!

2008-05-29T08:56:00.000-07:00

Today is the last class we will have before breaking for summer! A regular class will start without delay the first week of September.

Check here for summer meetings (these will probably start in about two weeks--after school gets out). I will also post info about the fall class in August.

Thanks everyone! Jill

Don't miss it!

2008-05-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

CLASS TODAY at 3:45! See you there!

May Schedule

2008-04-29T09:21:00.000-07:00

As you probably remember, I have a date with Micky in May, so our schedule will be a little different this month. Classes will be twice a week on the following days:

May 1 (Thursday): walk (sign up at class this week)

May 5 (Monday): class
May 6 (Tuesday): class
May 7 (Wednesday): walk (sign up at class)
May 8 (Thursday): walk (sign up at class)

May 12 (Monday): walk (sign up at class)
May 14 (Wednesday): class
May 15 (Thursday): class

May 19 (Monday): class
May 21 (Wednesday): class
May 22 (Thursday): walk (sign up at class)

May 26 (Monday): Memorial Day, to be decided by participants
May 28 (Wednesday): class
May 29 (Thursday): walk or class

Our summer exercise club (tentatively MWF mornings, 8 a.m.) will start the week after school gets out, June 16. I was planning to end regular exercise class for the summer at the end of May. If you have other suggestions, please let me know!

They're Baaaaack!

2008-04-22T10:49:00.001-07:00

Good news! We had a reunion of sorts yesterday, with both Teri AND Rachel coming back to class! Teri is still in her hard boot, but managed to do all of the abs and weights exercise. She's even getting cardio on the bike.

And Rachel, well, her recovery has been so fast (especially for those of us who haven't been laid up for the last two months)! She looks great and says her knee feels good.

I was also happy to see Leta back again yesterday.

See you all Wednesday!

I'm Leaving, on a Jet Plane

2008-04-15T19:18:00.000-07:00

Please don't forget that I will be gone this week on Thursday. Some people have already signed up to walk on Thursday; we will set a time of departure at class on Wednesday.

EVERYONE is planning to show up tomorrow, right? :0) See you there!

What's Up?

2008-04-03T18:25:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

We had pretty low attendance for spring break, but hopefully everyone will be back to their normal schedules next week. I've decided to continue with Monday, Wednesday, Thursday for the month of April. I will be gone on the 17th, but we will schedule a walk on that day so that you will still be able to get in a workout.

The girls walked today (left at 3:50) and I arrived at 4:05. I'm sorry if anyone showed up during that window and wondered what was up! We had planned the walk so that I could extend my day with Emily, but I promised to be back at 4:30 for yoga. On my drive home, I realized that we might have missed some of the 4 p.m. people. If I did miss you, again, I apologize.

Teri's surgery

2008-03-14T07:45:00.001-07:00

For those of you who have asked (ok, I guess that's everyone), Teri says her surgery went well, and she's feeling good!

Give her a call and tell her you are thinking about her!

Teri's condition

2008-03-11T19:58:00.000-07:00

It's official; Teri will have to have surgery to repair her Achilles tendon. Josh says it's a relatively short recovery, and she will be good as new. Still...BUMMER! We're thinking about you, Teri!

BTW, no more races!

2008-03-04T19:16:00.000-08:00

This month is "cardio blast" month. We are pumping up the cardio to burn extra calories (preparing for summer, you know)! Cardio will be 40 minutes instead of 30. We will get the weights in by adding them at the end of cardio and doing more compound exercises.

2008-03-03T14:48:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to Gin who won the basket of goodies in the drawing for February. We've missed you, Gin. It's a sign that it's time to come back!

Also, congrats to Lisa and Joanna who had PERFECT attendance in February. WOW! Give them a pat on the back when you see them!

Here's to a great month in March!!!

Ouchy!

2008-02-19T17:56:00.000-08:00

Rachel had a snow skiing accident yesterday and messed up her knee. Darn it!

Give her a call and tell her you are thinking of her; I'm pretty sure she won't be back to class for a while.

We will miss you, Rachel!!

A Look Back...

2008-02-05T08:50:00.000-08:00

This week marks the beginning of our third month together. I'm so proud of us... Here are some of the things we have accomplished.

We have accumulated 16 steps, and 18 balls (at last count). While this may not seem like a huge accomplishment, it has great impact on our class. The steps definitely make the class safer and allow us to do more fun and interesting moves (in turn making cardio nearly painless! :0) The balls open the door to dozens of exercise, including new cardio, weight lifting and stretching exercises.

Of the 21 paid participants last month, we had an average attendance of 8.5 classes/month. That's amazing! That means that most people averaged over two classes per week.

This class has the lowest attrition rate of any class I have ever taught. Since we started in December, we have only lost 3 participants. That means our class has some serious stick-to-it-ness (a new word I just invented :0).

Then of course, there are the accomplishments that cannot be measured by numbers. I'll list some of mine. Feel free to add....

I have become closer to so many people that I always liked but never had the opportunity or time to meet with often. Now I see them regularly.

I have changed exercise from an obligation ("Oh, I have to find time for the eliptical today") to a fun activity ("Oh, I can't wait to go to class today!").

I have realized how much fun it can be to have individuals from every age group in the same room, contributing to the group dynamic.

I taught at Adcope for over 15 years, and in that time I never felt as close to the participants there as I do you people after two short months. It's one thing to teach a group of people who are coming together for the same cause; it's another thing entirely to teach a group of people who are my friends, who are a part of my life both in the gym AND out, and to work together to make everyone healthier. Ok, that's a little sappy. But it's true. Thank you, ladies.

Class News

2008-02-02T21:00:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Patty, Joanna, Sarah, and Sandy for meeting their fitness goals this month. If you didn't quite meet your goal, don't feel bad! You might want to re-think your expectations. Are you asking too much of yourself? Being realistic in your goals is important. Also, don't beat yourself up if you don't quite make it. Life (and weather, in our case!) can get in the way.

I also wanted to let you know that I picked up a couple of new steps today. come in and try them out--they are for you!

Finally, Monday starts a new month. Because we had such great attendance last month, I'm going to stay with the same schedule for February: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with a yoga segment on Thursday.

Thank you so much to everyone for your support. I am having so much fun teaching this class, and it is because of all of the wonderful people! You ladies are fabulous! Jill

2008-01-18T15:22:00.000-08:00

I just have to tell you all...

Last night I found 15 steps (the big ones, just like mine) and 74 risers on ebay. The guy said "pick-up only" but I talked him into shipping them for an extra 50 dollars. Then someone outbid me by 50 cents in the last minute. I'm depressed.

I'll keep looking.

Yoga

2008-01-17T19:15:00.000-08:00

So how do you like yoga so far? When I was younger I didn't like yoga so much, but the older I get, the more I like it. I felt pretty good after class tonight. The stretching made everything feel better. My back doesn't hurt for the first time in weeks. I hope you like it enough to keep doing it for a while; I think the longer we do it, the better it will get.

Anyone have a vote? Would you rather do something else?

Step Shopping

2008-01-15T19:17:00.000-08:00

I know that several of you have been shopping for steps, so I thought I would do a little research on the internet to see what I could find. Here's what I have so far:

Susan G. Komen STEP
This one is built like Rachel's, but pink instead of blue. $39.99

Same STEP as above, but on Amazon
This one costs a little more, but is eligible for free shipping. $44.95

A Good Buy?
This step is DuraGym brand, which I am not familiar with. However, the price is right, and the step looks stable and skid-proof on top. Even when adjusted to the "intermediate" level, it doesn't look as high as the medium boxes, so this step would be best for someone who uses the smaller box. 24.99 and eligible for free shipping at Amazon.

I found a couple of other steps that I would NOT recommend. The first is "The Firm" step workout system. The boxes that come with the tapes are not really made for step aerobics like we do them. The other is on a variety of websites including Overstock. The reviews of this step say that it is narrow and not totally stable. This one makes me nervous.

My other suggestion is to check places like Goodwill and St. Vincent de Paul on a regular basis. I bought my step at Goodwill (still in the box) for $8. (It retails online for $125.) At that price, they don't last long, so check often. Finally, yard sales are graveyards for loney steps. All 3 of my extra steps were yard-sale finds for $1 each.

2008-01-09T14:24:00.000-08:00

After talking with several of you, I've decided to make Thursdays a cardio/yoga mix class. Here's the logic. We really need at least 3 days of cardio per week (and this class will give us that third day), but it's not a good idea to lift weights two days in a row. Since we do a full-body weight routine on Monday and Wednesday, we should do something else on Thursdays.

One of the most important (but most often overlooked) components of physical fitness is flexibility. Yoga provides some extra work in that area.

So...we will start with cardio at 3:45. I know that some of you can't make it that early, so come when you can. We will warm up for about 10 minutes (so if you are coming at 4, you can still get most of the cardio workout). We will do about 20-25 minutes of cardio (until 4:20-4:25).). Then we will start yoga. It's a good idea to do at least some of the cardio before the yoga so that your muscles are nice and warm, and as I have said before, it's ALWAYS ok to come in the middle of a class...just be sure to start slowly and work at your own pace.

For yoga, you can use the mats available at the club, but you might find a "sticky mat" more comfortable (Amazon has sticky mats for about $15). Yoga is usually done in bare feet, and the sticky mat just makes it a little easier. Also, bring a towel to roll up for the yoga portion.

Remember, keep looking for steps. I'm planning to put an ad in the EW, but haven't gotten to it yet. Also, if you have a big ball, bring it in and we'll write your name on it with a sharpie. You can store it at the club! When we have enough balls, we can use them for lifting weights, cardio and even yoga.

See you at the gym! Jill

Reminder

2007-12-27T09:12:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder:

We WILL have class today, Thursday, at 3:45/4:00 p.m.

We WILL also have class Monday, Dec. 31st at 3:45/4:00p.m.

We will NOT have class on January 2nd; however, January classes will be Monday/Wednesday/Thursday for the month of January, still just $20 for the month.

Interactive Website

2007-12-21T08:08:00.000-08:00

I just found this and had to share: an interactive article on holiday stressors. It's interesting, and not your typical holiday eating tips. Check out the Holiday Survival Guide.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-21T07:02:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas, everyone! Don't forget: no class Monday. We'll exercise Wednesday and Thursday (Dec. 26 and 27th) instead.

Keep looking for steps! If you have some or find some, write your name on them with a Sharpie, and you can store them at the gym for use.

How to Beat the Holiday Weight Gain Odds

2007-12-18T13:24:00.000-08:00

I've found an interesting article on WebMD called "How to Beat the Holiday Weight Gain Odds." One thing that I think is interesting about this article is the idea of "food pushers." Maybe it's Mom, maybe it's a friend, but there is always someone who wants you to "Just try it! It's delicious!" Three thousand calories and 15 pounds of guilt later, that person is gone and you are left to deal with yourself.

According to the article, you should accept it, then dump it. I don't know if that's sage advice. There are, afterall, starving people in Africa....

Are they starving for fudge? No! They need healthy fruits and vegetables, just like YOU! So dump it already. :0)

Reasons to Exercise

2007-12-14T17:13:00.000-08:00

Need a reason to exercise? The Mayoclinic has seven good ones in this article on the web. It's a good one--check it out!

2007-12-13T07:44:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! We have an inside source at an exercise equipment company! We might be able to get steps (real ones) for not too much. Interested?

Does anyone have a step gathering dust at home? I am concerned about the safety of those boxes; it would be nice to have real, solid steps for the cardio. Also, we could use real steps for some of the prone exercises--it's much more comfortable.

Think about it....more information in class soon!

2007-12-12T19:55:00.000-08:00

Welcome to "Fit for Life," a blog designed for my fitness class. Here, we will share fitness tips and information, recipes, accomplishments, goals, dreams....anything that seems appropriate in the here and now. 15-20 authors will contribute to make this the best blog ever! So fitnessfems, start your engines. Let's get blogging!