Spot Reduction - Will Crunches Burn the Abdominal Fat???

So, you are looking to lose some weight... and your main concern is your abdominal area. If that was flatter and firmer, you could accept the little extra around your hips and on your arms, right? I am sure you have all heard of "spot reduction", the idea is to work muscles in a certain area of your body and burn the fat off from there and there alone. There are ads out there for endless products that offer this as well... even if they do not use the term "spot reduction".

The problem is, this is not how our body works. We can not burn off abdominal fat by doing crunches any more than we can decide where to deposit the fat cells when we eat those extra treats. Our body burns fat for fuel (along with carbs and protein), so with the proper plan, you can burn fat from your body. You can not decide which part of your body the fat will be burned from, that comes down to where it is stored, how much is stored, if you are burning calories through diet and / or exercise and your body type. If fat tends to go to your abdominals first, it will most likely be burned from there last.

The most important thing to remember that no diet and no exercise alone will help you lose weight. You need to make sure you are eating a balanced diet and doing the proper exercises to burn fat. You need to keep your metabolism going strong and build muscle in order to lose the weight and keep it off. If you did not gain the weight over night, chances are, you will not lose it over night either. Be realistic with your goals and get help when you need it. Even personal trainers hire personal trainers... we all need some help sometimes!

Moms Getting Fit??? (article I wrote for Yummy Mummy)

Can a mother really find time to get healthy & fit with a kid on each hip? If you had asked me this a few years ago, I would have agreed with most of you and said “NO”.

I worked professionally as a dancer in Vancouver and Toronto until I was 25. I never had to worry about my weight and I had a body that could have been an anatomy lesson... but I never really appreciated that until I had children... then it was gone (I thought). I could still feel the stomach muscles... somewhere, but now they were split to the sides and hidden under layers of extra skin, and yes, extra weight. I bought the stability ball, the weights, the resistance bands, the yoga mat... anything that was going to help me lose the weight. But, they all either gathered dust in the corner of my family room, or became great toys for the kids. The stability ball was actually a great way to get my 2^nd daughter to sleep... but not used very often for exercising. Even with all the paraphernalia, it was impossible to find time to exercise as a mother! How was I ever suppose to lose the weight and feel comfortable leaving the house ever again??? To top it off, my abdominal muscles had split pretty badly during my first pregnancy and no one could tell me what to due to correct it.

Near the end of my maternity leave with my first daughter, I finally decided to take some courses and learn more about my split abdominal muscles for myself. After my maternity leave, as many mothers do, I decided to make a career change and I became a personal trainer. I managed to correct my muscle split and return to my pre-pregnancy weight.

Once I found out I was pregnant with my second child, I decided to study more about pre & post natal fitness and I began teaching Baby & Me Fitness classes. With this pregnancy I was better educated and I was able to keep in great shape. I continued to train, workout and instruct right up to the end of my 8th month. The entire pregnancy was more enjoyable and I had more energy and less discomfort. I was also able to enjoy the comfort of a drug-free home birth.

I felt that there was a huge void in the fitness industry – there were no easy and affordable options for a new mom to workout and keep her infant or young toddler close by. As a result, I have opened Beaches Fitness – a private, personal training studio geared towards mothers. There is an attached playroom for kids and younger infants are kept safe and entertained while mom achieves her goals. I offer a flexible schedule and discounted rates for new moms. I find there are so many women that have a hard time loosing the weight and they do not have the support system they need to take care of themselves. We are so busy taking care of our kids and the households, we forget to put aside 3 hours of the week and get fit! Not only is this important for our health, but for our self-esteem and emotional well-being.

Now, I am not saying that I have the body I had in my early 20's... but I am proud of my body and I truly feel like a Yummy Mummy.

Stroller Fitness - How good of a workout can it be?

Looking for a great workout that you can bring your baby along to? Wondering if you can actually get results with a Stroller Fitness class? Well, the answer to that, really depends on which class you are taking. I have taken classes in the past that were not so great, and I have taken classes that have kicked my butt! I started teaching Stroller Fitness classes 4 years ago when my first daughter was just over a year old. I have learned a lot over the past 4 seasons and have designed a class that is both fun & social as well as a great full-body workout. I am even more excited for this coming season as I have new idea's and I am ready to get outdoors again!

Most Stroller Fitness classes are only offered to moms with children 16 months and under. I have always kept my classes open to kids of all ages. There are so many moms out there with toddlers that want to continue to workout with their children. There are also a lot of moms out there with more than one kid... what about them? My rule is that as long as you are happy and getting in a workout, I am happy. I do my best to help all the moms get in a great workout while keeping the kidlets entertained.

For the past 4 summers, I have brought my kids with me to all my classes. Last year, by the time Friday would roll around, my girls would be sick of the classes and be begging to not go. So, this year I have signed them up for some camps and some time at the cottage with Grandma and Grandpa. They will still be with me every 3rd week, but at least they will have a few weeks off in between to keep us all sane. This is going to be a very different experience for all of us. I am so use to having my girls with me for these classes... dragging them and all their entertainment for the morning in the wagon as we haul our butts across Queen St. E... a long 45 minute walk each direction some days. Ok, so that part I will not miss so much.

My Stroller Fitness class has evolved to a full body workout with cardio bursts between in order to maximize the calorie burn. We use fitness loops, resistance bands, benches, hills, and our own body weight for the exercises. It is amazing how great of a workout you can get with so little equipment. I do not expect my moms to bring their own weights, like a lot of the other classes... really, they have enough to worry about and I can not imagine adding another 10 lbs to my stroller when my girls were younger. No fancy stroller is required. I do not have the moms running laps... although I may be introducing an extra cardio "add-on" for those interested... but, for those interested, they can get the fancy stroller. I actually did the class with the wagon most of the time last summer.

So, if you are interested in checking out a Stroller Fitness class this year, check out www.beachesfitness.ca for more information. I will be updating the website soon with a full summer schedule and pricing.

Good luck and enjoy the beautiful weather... when it gets here...

Sandra

SATURDAY! SATURDAY! SATURDAY! BE THERE! BE THERE! BE THERE!

...and with that; the eager, beckoning call for Monster Jammers every where, we went! And oh what a time we had! Now to set the scene a little, myself and my man-date, Jordan, are not you're typical Monster Truck fans. Well, at least not since we were ten! But we found ourselves quickly sucked into the high voltage energy and we hungrily took in all Monster Jam had to offer! Ah, the sights, the sounds, the smells! All of it potentially lethal if consumed at too great a volume, in too short a time, but it is also electric with intensity and truly entertaining! At least once we smartened up and bought some ear plugs!

Being Monster Jam virgins, we had no idea as to what the evenings itinerary would entail. I mean, we had SOME idea that stuff was going to get crushed and we were going to cheer and “Boo” until our throats we hoarse with hot exhaust! But I enjoyed the variety of events which lead to an over all kick-ass night!

The first event is one on one, short-track racing in which all the competitors get two laps and two jumps to prove their worth in the shortest amount of time. This is where we discovered that after three or four starts, in the front row, your ears turn into a centre of white, hot pain! (Ear plugs people! I can't stress this enough!) Right away you could notice the distinct line between the meek and the masterful! AMSOIL SHOCK THERAPY, driven by Rick Rabb, and Tom Meents' MAXIMUM DESTRUCTION, and of course the only monster truck EVERYBODY knows; GRAVE DIGGER driven by Charlie Pauken were clear crowd favorites and already showing the guts and determination needed to dominate in this sport. When the fumes settled, MAXIMUM DESTRUCTION was declared victorious!

Event number two is the free-style competition. This is where the hotter the transmissions got; the more the crazier the Monster Jam fans frenzy would become!! And when GRAVE DIGGER THE LEGEND (I know, totally crazy; There are two kinds of GRAVE DIGGERs! I don't really get it.) came crashing down after a seriously gutsy jump and nearly destroyed the entire back-end of his '51 Ford Panel Van Monster Truck, he was crowned the winner, though his close relative GRAVE DIGGER forfeited his points to wow the crowd with yet another GRAVE DIGGER in a duet with fellow driver Tony Farrell.

And just as it seemed the Monster Truck fun was coming to a close, into my life strolled ROBOSAURUS! That's right, the 42', 30 ton fire breathing half robot, half dinosaur, enjoyed what I can only assume is a small snack for such a beast. He ripped through two cars (literally in half!) and, all the while, you could feel the heat on your face from his fiery breath! And as if this evening wasn't already chock-full with sensory overload, we were also introduced to JET QUADS! These half ATV, half jet engine beauties couldn't even get up to speed inside the Rogers Centre, but the few showy laps they did were loud enough to make you wish for some more bare-ear Monster Truck action! The evening was nicely topped off with a good, ol' fashion smash up derby where we picked the winner right off the hop! What appeared to be some sort of mid-'80's station wagon driven by Mitch Clark son ripped through his competitors and claimed his broken, tangled metal victory!

All in all, this was a super entertaining night of everything you'd expect from Feld Entertainment's Monster Jam with one pleasantly unexpected exception. The professionalism, sportsmanship, and showmanship of all the driver's really shone through in all the events and even after when it was announced that they would stay until the last autograph had been signed!

Bravo men and women of Monster Truck! I take off my mesh-back hat and salute you! Thank you for fulfilling my inner ten year old's dream of seeing stuff get crushed by trucks with huge wheels! It was AWESOME!

***Again, this was written by Grant... he is loving the reviews.***

Group Fitness Classes with Toddlers and Preschoolers

After having my first daughter, I signed up for Stroller Fitness and Baby & Me Fitness classes. I loved them both and continued them until I had to return to work. I lost all the baby weight before returning to work and I had enough energy to get through the day. My daughter also loved the classes, and it was nice to have that time with her since it was benefiting both of us.

Once I returned to work, I also starting working part-time as a personal trainer. I introduced Mommy & Me fitnuyouess classes to the club I was working at and continued to workout through my 2nd pregnancy.

It was not until after I had my 2nd daughter that I had a hard time getting back into shape. I could not find a class that would allow me to bring both kids to the class and my daughters hated the gym daycare... and they would go ANYWHERE but there! That is when I realized that there were no classes for moms and their kids once the kids turned 16 months old! Even Stroller Fitness classes would not allow toddlers! So, I decided to start my own business and offer the classes myself. It enabled me to work with my kids by my side, but it also gave a lot of moms the opportunity to exercise with their kids close by. I started by offering Baby Fitness classes in a local church basement, and added Stroller Fitness classes in the local park once the weather warmed up. I designed the classes so that the moms with young babies could wear and incorporate the kids into the workout or so the moms with the older toddlers and preschoolers could get in a great workout, while their kids played in the attached playroom. The classes slowly gathered interested and I am now offering classes in the Beaches, Upper Beaches and Leslieville. I am looking to expand into other parts of the East End of Toronto, but it all takes time to gather enough interest.

I still have my youngest come with me to the class once a week, but the rest of the time she is in Nursery School. I am lucky enough to be able to keep my kids with me while I work and I love it. My oldest is in JK now and only gets to come to the classes on PA Days, and she asks constantly if she can come. They both love playing with the other kids and babies.

I love teaching the classes. Some moms are more determined to lose the baby weight than others, but they are all looking for a welcoming, social atmosphere and I try my best to offer that. All the kids (my own included) have good days and bad, but overall, it is a mom and kid-friendly class and we all have a great time!

I started my business as a way to help moms that have a hard time finding the time, energy and money to exercise. My own kids are growing quickly and soon I will not have either of them tagging along to the classes, but I will continue to offer these classes in order to help the moms out there with kids over 16 months of age. Of course, babies are welcome as well. I have moms that started with me 4 weeks postpartum with their first baby and are now still with me with their 2nd child (some still on the way)! It is great to see the babies and families grow!

Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam - coming to Toronto

Looking for something to do this weekend? The Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam is coming to the Rogers Centre this weekend (January 22nd & 23rd) and it promises to be a fun show! Filled with roaring engines and plenty of crushing, the top trucks from the Monster Jam line-up will entertain fans with jumps, stunts and thrills! Some of the line-up includes...

• Grave Digger driven by current Monster Jam Freestyle Champion Charlie Pauken
  
• Maximum Destruction driven by 8 Time world champion Tom Meents
  
• Grave Digger Legend
  
• Ironman
  
• Shock Therapy
  
• Excaliber
  
• Black Stallion
  
• Iron Warrior
  
• Rap Attack
  
• Michigan Ice Monster
  
• Ground Pounder
  
• Meet ROBOSAURUS, a 40 foot tall 30 tonne mechanical dinosaur. Feel the heat of 20-foot flames.
  

The show is family-friendly and I have a feeling kids of all ages will love it (even the big ones). For more information about the show, check out http://www.monsterjam.com

USE THE CODE BLOG and SAVE $5 PER TICKET!!!

Mickey & Minnie's Rockin' Roadshow... ROCKED!

Disney's Mickey's Rockin' Road Show, well, ROCKED! Full of Disney magic, energetic fun, and a great story line that kept the kids and parents entertained! Oh and watch out for Donald's big “KA-POW” finish (he gets it right eventually!!)

We were lucky enough to meet Mickey and Minnie before the show, at least most of us did as our 2 year old is still a little wary of larger than life costumed characters, and our oldest daughter's only question was as to why they weren't talking with any one? I thought it was to save their singing voices for the big show and told her as much, but I thought their faces would remain motionless during the performance, but somehow, once on stage, they came to life! With eyes and mouths that moved to the music and brought some added magical realism to the already action packed show! With scenery that moved with the characters and Donald's a fore mentioned “KA-POW” finale, we were all really impressed with the Disney magic brought to the stage! Though, I must say, with two Disney on Ice performances under our belts, we weren't really all that surprised!

The other element I really liked about Mickey's Rockin' Road Show was the energy Mickey and all his friends brought to the audience. I mean, shows always boast about bringing crowds out of their seats to clap and sing along, but this one really hit the mark! Well not for OUR kids, they were all to happy to sit back and let the magic come to them! We did our best to entice them by making fools of ourselves, but we certainly weren't alone as the whole rest of the venue was alive with interactive singing and dancing (including a 10 minute active warm up to get every one's wiggles out!). Kids were encouraged to answer questions and shout out things that they noticed to help Mickey, Minnie and friends gather what that they needed to put on a talent show for all to enjoy! This left no room for attentions to wander or bums to squirm!

The Road show included lasso, juggling, and other circus style tricks with Toy Story's Woody, Jessie, and, of course, Buzz Lightyear! Winnie the Pooh's pal Tigger entertained every one with what Tiggers do best: BOUNCING!! Cinderella sang her way into everyone's hearts and she even brought her step sisters along for some tone deaf comic relief! And, of course, Mickey Minnie, Goofy and Donald, with some guest hosts to help all the fun along, brought all their own special talents in a truly Rockin' Road Show! And watch out because when Donald gets his “KA-POW” right, you may be pulling it out of your hair for days! Depending on where your seats are!

We can't wait to see what Disney has to offer in next season's line up of shows as we hope to enjoy these events as much as possible while our girls are still young enough to freak out at the mere mention of Mickey (or maybe more so Minnie) Mouse! Our only tough decision will be with Ice or without! Maybe both!

**Disney's Mickey's Rockin' Road Show, well, ROCKED! Full of Disney magic, energetic fun, and a great story line that kept the kids and parents entertained! Oh and watch out for Donald's big “KA-POW” finish (he get's it right eventually!!)

We were lucky enough to meet Mickey and Minnie before the show, at least most of us did as our 2 year old is still a little wary of larger than life costumed characters, and our oldest daughter's only question was as to why they weren't talking with any one? I thought it was to save their singing voices for the big show and told her as much, but I thought their faces would remain motionless during the performance, but somehow, once on stage, they came to life! With eyes and mouths that moved to the music and brought some added magical realism to the already action packed show! With scenery that moved with the characters and Donald's a fore mentioned “KA-POW” finale, we were all really impressed with the Disney magic brought to the stage! Though, I must say, with two Disney on Ice performances under our belts, we weren't really all that surprised!

The other element I really liked about Mickey's Rockin' Road Show was the energy Mickey and all his friends brought to the audience. I mean, shows always boast about bringing crowds out of their seats to clap and sing along, but this one really hit the mark! Well not for OUR kids, they were all to happy to sit back and let the magic come to them! We did our best to entice them by making fools of ourselves, but we certainly weren't alone as the whole rest of the venue was alive with interactive singing and dancing (including a 10 minute active warm up to get every one's wiggles out!). Kids were encouraged to answer questions and shout out things that they noticed to help Mickey, Minnie and friends gather what that they needed to put on a talent show for all to enjoy! This left no room for attentions to wander or bums to squirm!

The Road show included lasso, juggling, and other circus style tricks with Toy Story's Woody, Jessie, and, of course, Buzz Lightyear! Winnie the Pooh's pal Tigger entertained every one with what Tiggers do best: BOUNCING!! Cinderella sang her way into everyone's hearts and she even brought her step sisters along for some tone deaf comic relief! And, of course, Mickey Minnie, Goofy and Donald, with some guest hosts to help all the fun along, brought all their own special talents in a truly Rockin' Road Show! And watch out because when Donald gets his “KA-POW” right, you may be pulling it out of your hair for days! Depending on where your seats are!

We can't wait to see what Disney has to offer in next season's line up of shows as we hope to enjoy these events as much as possible while our girls are still young enough to freak out at the mere mention of Mickey (or maybe more so Minnie) Mouse! Our only tough decision will be with Ice or without! Maybe both!

***This post is courtesy of Daddy... he loved the show so much, we wanted to write the blog post this time!***