Inspire Fitness Boot Camps are Starting Soon!

Paige's Inspire(d) workout

Check out my good friend Paige working out today. This is why I named my fitness biz "Inspire" fitness because of strong, motivated, dedicated and committed women that have a desire to get fit.

If you haven't met Paige on my blogs please take a moment to read about the journey her life has taken in the last year -- this will put the video of her workout today in perspective. For Paige's personal story look at: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/paigeconnard

Get up, get out, and get moving America. If Paige can do it anyone can and anything is possible with hope and determination!

4 day fat loss complete

Just finished a 4 day modified version of Graeme's 7 day fat loss camp and am happy. For me and my schedule as a busy mom, wife, group-x spin instructor and personal trainer, it's so much easier this way than the 7 day one. I bet if you're reading this you're just as busy and wonder how the heck do you change your eating habits for 7 days.

We talked to Graeme about this on our podcast (see our podcast on the right of this blog) and he gave us some great tips on modifying the same 7 day plan, basically condensing it to 4 days. It works great - you have tons of energy and not feel like it's such a long stretch nor a sacrifice. And the best part of all is that I saw 4 pounds come off in 4 days and never once did I feel starved.

I also started tracking my nutrition via sparkpeople - check us out at Team Paige http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/groups_individual.asp?gid=31470.

Lastly if you want to try the workouts I do, I mainly use the TRX system and cycling as my main workouts and Pilates reformer when I get the time.

Personally, the TRX has made such a difference in how I exercise (good-bye crunches!). The best part is that it costs only about $150, which I consider it a steal because you can get a total body workout with JUST the TRX.

Here’s a link to the TRX Online Store:

http://www.fitnessanywhere.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&AFFIL=inspirefitness

As a bonus for shopping via the link above, you’ll get a $20 ‘Thank You’ Certificate that you can use for a future purchase at fitnessanywhere.com to be used for future purchases (that’s more than half of the cost of a Training Program (DVD/Guide).

Let me know how you train!

Turning Wheels for Kids

Yesterday was a memorable day of giving back to children in need. We participated in the Turning Wheels for Kids event in San Jose, Ca. where 600 volunteers come together each year to build 2000 brand new shiny bikes for children in need. \

Not only did I learn how to put together bikes of all types, (my favorite was the Incredibles bike complete with the eye mask, fanny pack, and shiny wheel covers) and we got to watch some pretty incredible children get to hand pick their new bikes out. To see the smiles on their faces as they rode around the convention hall floor, knowing that this may be their first bike (hopefully not their last) and to be able to be a small part of bringing such an enjoyable activity into their lives is pretty amazing.

so, check out the pics at http://www.flickr.com/photos/33345998@N07/sets/72157611265248312/

ps-I have lots to blog about - just been too busy with holiday stuff. But the great news on the personal side is that I completed the 7 day fat loss with some remarkable results - for me at least and will be sharing those soon so stay posted.

until then, have a safe and happy holiday.

Joy

Another week

Another busy week - where does the time go!

Saturday - ran 2 miles, Sunday - Wii fit (ok a girl has to add some fun in), and a 2 mile walk
Monday - strength workout
Tuesday - Spin class
Wednesday - 2 mile run (track and hills) and TRX workout after
Thursday - 11 mile bike ride and TRX workout

I am looking forward to starting the Fat Loss Bootcamp post-thanksgiving and am gearing up mentally for it now!

Great day for exercise in California!

Wow! What a gorgeous day we're having in Northern California. Absolutely picture perfect day for exercise so I had some coffee and decided to take my lab for a run near our home. It's a beautiful paved and sandy trail about 1/2 mile to the end and my dog just loves it. It sits at about 1100 ft. elevation and gains about 250 feet at the peak so it's a really easy place to run. I ended up doing just over 2.09 miles and averaged a 10 min pace. I'm just getting into this running thing as part of my cross training for cycling so it's a nice diversion and helps me mix things up a bit. My goal is to do a 5k (yes Angela I will do this in 2009) at a sub 30 minute finish. We'll see!

After the short run I came home and did a circuit workout with my 8 and 1 1 year old boys --- talk about some energy. They have it oozing out of their pores and for some reason they think their mom is about 12 also. I think I did impress them with my atomic pushups though and the planks :)

ok, gotta go study and get some stuff done while my boys are out with Dad.
enjoy your weekend everyone.

Busy week

I can't believe it's been a week since I've posted last! I'd love to say I've been on some exotic trip but in reality I've just been too busy to post. A good busy though and I've been doing lots of exercising - really mixing things up with a great variety of stuff.
Let's see if I can recall the last week;
Friday - TRX and Graeme Neuro Muscular drills
Saturday - ab work
Sunday - taught Spin class 1 hour
Monday - Day off with my boys
Tuesday - Taught Spin class and 1 hour of Yoga
Wednesday - Ran for 2 miles and TRX workout, Strength workout (Graeme) + Kates 1 hour Yoga
Thursday - 1 hour hill workout (Graeme's pedaling techniques) + TRX workout
Friday - Circuit work at the park + 1/2 hour TRX workout

I am going to start the Fat Loss camp (this will be my 2nd time) as soon as I receive the "Lean Out" supplements Graeme mentioned. I've never tried these before and am curious to see if it'll help me get leaner. I feel I'm getting some great muscle and core strength and am seeing gains in my flexibility so I'm encouraged.

Cyclo Speed and TRX today

Today I invited a girlfriend over (so much more fun when you have a buddy to workout with) and we did Graeme's Cyclo-Speed workout. Started with the Neuro Muscular Warm-up, then the Advanced Neuro Drills, then onto Disc 1 for the Power and Strength workouts Circuits 1 and 2. Then a few mins. of TRX and done! In total a little over an hour workout - a little bit of cardio, some great balance drills, and strength stuff thrown in.

Weather's good again and I'd like to get out and ride but too busy studying and family/mommie duties call me.

gotta run for now.

Keep mixing it up

It would have been so easy to just sit by the fireplace today and study and take a pass on working out, after all I had taught Spin class yesterday and got a great workout so I did have some excuses built in. But then a little voice (sounded like Graeme to me) said "if you want to get fitter and stronger for next season you must do the hard workouts".

The nice thing is that I have a bajillion DVDs, CDs, etc to choose from - comes with being a personal trainer I guess. So I went to the Cyclo-Core DVDs and selected the Zen Power Yoga/Spin workout. Boy...I had not done that one in a while and let me tell ya' Graeme is not kidding when he says that last interval #5 on the bike will be the hardest! It was and I could definitely feel the cardiac drift (and you'll see it on the graph prob.).
The Yoga warm-up and cool down was absolutely perfect and I actually feel like I'm getting a bit more flexible, only due to the stretching and yoga that I've been doing from Graeme's workouts. The one thing I know for sure is that you have to continually mix it up so that your body continues to guess and can continue to get stronger and fitter. Thanks Graeme for providing us with such a variety of intense and fun workouts (I use the term "fun" loosely of course :).


Oh and I did some TRX biceps, triceps, and abs work before I finished. Now...off to the fireplace and studying and maybe some spinach garlic and egg scramble - and will have to try Graeme's oregano oil next time I'm sick! Sounds interesting.

Strength and Core this week

Catching up on the blog here:
Tuesday p.m. - taught 1 hour spin class - pyramid workout (15 secs on/off built to 3 mins. on/off, changed positions with each set).

Yesterday I did an hour workout comprised of;
45 mins of Body Bar strength workout
15 mins of TRX - atomic pushups and tris and biceps work
15 mins of stretching

Today was a biggie - most of the workouts taken from Cyclo-Speed http://www.cyclo-club.com/products/item1.cfm

Started with Cyclo-Speed NeuroMuscular Activiation Drill - Warm up Routine
then Advanced NeuroMuscular Training- the Gauntlet and Graeme says
then Overpower/Overspin Intervals - 1 set (I was feeling it) - see attached graph
next up Cyclo Speed Aero Ab Blaster
followed by 2 sets of TRX atomic pushups (here's a video demo http://community.fitnessanywhere.com/blogs/exercise-videos/archive/2008/03/31/atomic-push-up.aspx)
followed by PNF Advanced Flexibility Workout
ending with Active Stretching and Recovery Workout

reward: 2 quinoa quiche muffins (recipe on Cycl0-Club forums) and a cup of hot tea
not to mention a mito cap, a recovery tablet, and my vitamins (Hammernutrition.com)