Freestyle Aerobics in Hong Kong

I've been searching all over the internet for freestyle classes in Hong Kong. There seem to be plenty over there. What intrigues me is the names they give their classes.

Here in Melbourne, we're simply happy to call our Step Aerobics classes by one of several, fairly straightforward and self-explanatory names - Step (intermediate), Step Basic, and for the more advanced or those who like more full on choreography, Step Moves. Every now and then you might even still see Step Athletic which is like Step Basic, but traditionally guarantees lots of high intensity, high impact-style moves for those really focussed on high-caloric expenditure.

As for the names they use in Hong Kong...

• not Step Basic, but Step 101
• not Step, but 1 Step Up
• not Step Moves, but Steptacular
• and finally, the fourth level, super-choreographed is Freaky Step
• oh, they also have Duo Step
  

The names for hilo classes are just as outrageous, being, from beginners' to advanced - Aerobics 101, In Between Hi & Lo (or as James put it... does that mean medium??), Sweat Shop, Cardio Groove...

Whilst, yes, granted, the class names are highly creative, I wonder how effective that is in getting people in to the classes themselves? If it weren't for me looking up the list of names online I would not have realised that they classify everything into one of four levels of difficulty, and really they are all just the same class type but at differing levels.

The thing that annoys me most though is not the variety of un-exaplainable names, but that they appear to boast such a HUGE variety of classes and yet don't offer everything on their list on the timetable.

Clever marketing or just someone with too much time on their hands? I dunno, maybe it's some sort of cultural thing - let people THINK they're able to do many different types of classes cos each one has a different name, let them FEEL they're really smart and capable and all that, and they'll keep coming back.

Me... I think I still prefer the K.I.S.S. principle.

Bodypump release 68 is on it's way!

This time next week is the final quarterly Les Mills superworkshop day for 2008.
I'm looking forward to my first ever superworkshop! Yay, yay, yay!

On the menu for me next Sunday:-

09:30-10:30
Teaching a Hilo class (covering for another instructor)

11:00 - 12:00
Attending Joyce's freestyle Step class at Monash Uni Sports, Clayton

12:00 - 14:00
Hanging out and lunching with some awesome Pumpers!

14:00 - 15:30
Bodypump masterclass and technique workshop!!

15:45 - 17:15
Bodystep masterclass ... I'm not a Bstep instructor but they let Les Mills instructors attend any other workshops they want to provided there are places available after preference has been given to actual instructors of the program

17:30 - 19:00
Still undecided as to whether I'll stick around for the Bodybalance masterclass too.

What a massive day. It's gonna be a blast! Woo hoo.

Gym Funky

Facebook's advertising scheme is clever. Clearly their filters or whatever technology they use have determined I'm some sort of gym freak, hence I came across a website for a cool company that sells funky gym clothes.

Gym Funky - www.gymfunky.com.au

They're based in QLD. The only downside for me is, well, I like to actually try on clothes to see how they look and fit before buying.

If you get any cool gym clothing from them, let me know!

Group Fitness is my life?

Exactly one month ago, I ended this post wondering how other instructors taught over 20 classes per week. Well, I think I have my answer... she probably didn't do it for long.

Since that last post, I've averaged out at over 14 classes per week. I can in fact list the number of classes I've taught each week since 4 September until today: 15, 16, 16, 13, 17, 16, 17, 18.

Wow... when you put it in that context it looks like a lot, huh?

So anyway I've discovered a few key secrets to personal health management - in this case, the health factor being NOT overtraining or subjecting one's body to overuse injury. Newer instructors, or those looking to increase your current weekly teaching schedule, take heed. More experienced instructors, if you've anything to add please do so!

**Vary your class types - try to avoid doing more than maybe 4 or 5 of one particular class type. In fact, for certain class types, less than this even - e.g. no more than 3 Bodypump classes per week was highly recommended to my classmates and I by our trainer, who has been an instructor for over 8 years. Wise words from someone who's been there, done that!

**Whilst we're on the topic of class choices, if you can get some classes that require a little less exertion on your part, even better! Good examples include circuit classes and fit ball classes.

**Another veteran instructor I met a few months ago advised me against taking triples on a regular basis (non-instructors, this simply means 3x back-to-back classes). He has stopped teaching due to major issues with his feet. He learnt his lesson the hard way and has kindly tried to pass this on to me.

**If you're feeling sick or rundown, don't keep going, get a cover and give your body a break!

**Plan your breaks in advance, organise your covers early, take some time out every now and again to recuperate. Not just physically but mentally too! It will prevent you from getting into a "rut" and you'll find you'll still be able to give your participants the best of yourself.

**Today, an instructor who has been teaching for 20 years told me something very profound (in relation to Bodypump but it applies across the board too) - your class numbers/sizes are not determined by the amount of weight you lift, it's the energy and quality with which you deliver the class. By all means, set the example and be inspiring, but don't pressure yourself to perform beyond your means. Remember - it's THEIR workout, not yours!

**Practise what you preach to your own participants. I tell my participants all the time - if it's GOOD pain, keep pushing through, but if it's BAD pain then please, please stop! I need to remember this for myself too! (So do you!)

**It is okay to say no to cover requests. Let me repeat: IT IS OKAY TO SAY NO TO COVER REQUESTS! Looking after yourself is not selfish. Your first responsibility is to your permanent classes before any covers you do, so by looking after yourself you are ensuring you can deliver your best to your regulars.

PUMPers - something for you to have a chuckle at

Heya Bodypumpers,

I've been Googling around online at all things Bodypump, in an effort to learn about past releases so I can figure out where to get started learning more chorey to add to my limited repertoire of ONE release (haha) and came across some very funny blog posts, thought I'd share the love around.

http://rickinoz.com/2008/07/06/you-know-you-do-bodypump-too-much-when
http://www.dietgirl.org/dietgirl/2005/05/diy_body_pump.html

For you non-pumpers out there who might be interested in some great reading that is diet and weight loss-related, here's a good one for you:

http://www.dietgirl.org/dietgirl/about-shauna-reid.html

I've seen this girl's book in the bookstores recently, haven't picked up a copy to read for myself yet but after reading the above post I think I just might have a browse.

Eating Well May Require Moral Support

"Discover Oprah's top-rated diet that celebrities use to get thin. I'm no celebrity, but it worked for me."

I found this line on an advertisement on Facebook. Celebrities are just people like us. They work hard to get the bodies they have. They don't just sit around and any eating or exercise regime they follow is not more magical than yours.

But there is one other tip you can learn from celebrities. If you want to become a certain way, you need to surround yourself with people who live in that way. They are all (seemingly) slim, trim and gorgeous. They are surrounded by people who are slim, trim and gorgeous... so if one day they walked out amongst their other slim, trim, gorgeous friends with frizzy hair, out-of-date clothing and a few extra kilos, well they would probably stand out a whole lot more than if they did the same thing amongst us.

If you want to eat healthily and exercise regularly, surrounding yourself with people who do the same will help you a lot. That doesn't mean you should just go out and ditch any friends who don't eat healthily, of course not! But if you regularly interact with people who live in the way you want to live, then they will become your benchmark. They will become your "norm" and not only will you find it easier to rise to the occasion to live the same, well, it will just become "normal" for you to live like that.

When I am out in the "normal" world, I sometime feel like a bit of a freak. I mean, I exercise more than 12 times a week (because it's my job not cos I'm a fanatic!) and my standard of what food is and isn't healthy are, well, a fair bit higher than most others. But when I hang out in "fitness instructors" world, it is normal to exercise as much as I do. In "fitness instructors" world my physique is also normal, whereas in "normal" world, to some I am skinny or petite.

Here's an example of how you can step out of the norm without ditching your friends:

Let's pretend you've decided for yourself that you're not going to eat pizza anymore, but there's been a long-standing tradition amongst you and your friends... a weekly movie & pizza. Instead of ditching your long-time friends for gym junkies, why not find a buddy amongst them who has also been thinking about eating healthier, and is willing to not eat pizza together with you? Rather than missing out on the weekly festivities, the two of you can still go to movie night. Instead of pizza, you could split a healthier option meal together - say, roast chicken and a gigantic, colourful garden salad.

Don't make a big fuss of it and certainly don't make an issue of the pizza. Just do what you feel is best for you whilst maintaining the fun and relationships. Everyone wins! And who knows, over time you might find yourself with a few additional converts to healthier eating... although there will always be that one person who likes to add a handful (or two) of chips to their meal, haha!

Weight Loss = What Are You Eating???

If you want to lose weight... SERIOUSLY... then your success will largely depend on your diet. Not enough exercise in the world is going to help you if you can't master the principles of calories out vs calories in.

How do I know? Personal experience. I am an aerobics instructor. I teach at least 10 classes per week but currently average at about 13-14. And over the last 3 months I've put on about 3kgs.

Most people's first response is "well, that's because you're putting on muscle!". Trust me, honey... it ain't muscle! Muscle doesn't bulge at the tummy or under the arms or around the tights. Okay well maybe a tiny bit of it is, but if only you knew how difficult it is to gain muscle mass - especially for females - then you would understand.

So why did I put on weight? Same reason a lot of other people do - I thought I could get away with the bad eating. The yummy extras. I figured, hey, what the heck, I've done 16 classes this week, I can have that second piece of cake! Not only can I have it, I deserve it! Never mind that one piece of cake probably requires 1.5, maybe even 2 classes to burn off. I mean, the average gym-goer probably does 3 classes per week, maybe 4 or 5 if they're hardcore. At 16, I've got at least 10 classes worth of eating on them! Probably more than 10 classes, because I also work harder than most of them trying to set the example on that stage!

It is this sort of self-justification that will greatly slow down if not ruin your chances of success.

I didn't put the 3kg on overnight, it was a gradual process. Chances are your weight gain was also a gradual process. You didn't suddenly wake up one morning 3 dress sizes larger than you used to be and feeling overwhelmed, wondering how you're ever going to lose it all without the help of the people at the Fat-zap clinic.

Some tips? Little, baby steps. One decision at a time. One little 'no' here and there. Deciding before you head out to a social function what your limits are and stick to them. Don't treat every meal and every dessert and every opportunity to eat chocolate like it's the last opportunity you'll ever have, because it ISN'T. Allow every good decision, no matter how small or big, to empower you towards making the next good decision.

And if you stuff up, don't beat yourself over the head like I like to do to myself. Pick yourself up and try again.

More Exercise than I Need?

I taught 5 aerobics classes on Tuesday. Before I became an instructor I was doing well if I could manage 5 classes in a week! Yes they were all classes I did myself too, i.e. no circuit classes or anything.

Some sort of cold or flu is going around hitting aerobics instructors thoughout Melbourne. Ok I am sure it's also hitting others too but you notice it when it's aerobics instructors. Most of you who have office/desk jobs can take a sickie or holiday without needing to find someone else to do your job for the day. Not us. So despite not being sick myself I felt the effects of that sickness.

Then somehow I caught it myself and was out on Wednesday! I was already feeling it coming on by mid-Tuesday, but it was too late to find someone else to cover my classes so I just went ahead, did them anyway but thankfully had enough time to cancel my commitments for Wednesday.

Thankfully it didn't end up being too bad.

Haha... I know, I haven't been bloggin much lately (I still don't have internet at home!) and now my entries are sounding like excerpts from a diary rather than fitness tips. I guess what I am trying to say, or what I'm really thinking, is that when you all tell me that I'm so lucky cos I have a job that keeps me fit, well, at times I look at you and feel you're luck for having a job that doesn't make your knees sore and creaky or threaten to give you plantar fasciitis.

But then I still love my job more than yours, which is why I am doing my job and not yours!

P.S. by the end of this week I'll have a tally of 14 classes. I know an instructor who taught 25 per week at her peak... HOW THE HECK DID SHE DO THAT? :o)

"Cheap" Petrol

Haha I can't believe it. I am posting today because I am excited about petrol being under $1.50 per litre. "Cheap" by recent standards. So today if I fill up I spend a whopping $4 less (or thereabouts) than last week.

A Saturday in the life of an Aerobics Instructor

It's Saturday morning. This weekend, a lot of other instructors are at the Mini Master Blaster. In laymen's terms, a conference full of workshops and therefore new ideas for us to subject our participants to. I'm not going this year. Just returned from a holiday in Sydney a couple of weeks ago so could do with the extra cash that I'll get this weekend doing a couple of extra classes by filling in for other instructors at the conference.

What a busy morning.

07:30 - Woke up, got ready for the day. Ate lots of breakfast, will be burning a lot of energy today.
08:20 - Hopped in the car, drove to my first class of the day.
09:00 - 60 minute Step & Body Strength class.
10:10 - Quickly hopped in to car, running a little late, rushing to the next class.
10:40 - Arrived barely in time for second class. 60 minute Hilo class.
11:40 - Chatted to a couple of participants after the class.
11:45 - Hopped into car to rush to next class.
12:00 - 60 minute Beginner Aerobics class. Third and final class of the day. Whew.

Calories burned for the three classes combined: 1600+

Life is not usually as hectic as that for me, but it was fun for today. Don't think I could do it every week though, that would drive me nutty.

New "Mum-Friendly" Checkout Lanes?

I popped in to Coles today to pick up some grocery items and noticed a sign in the checkout lane, announcing two Mum-friendly checkout lanes. The lane I was lining up in happened to be one of them.

What's the difference? The contents of those shelves just above the conveyor belt. Typically stocked up with junk food goodies such as chocolate bars on special, lollipops and Kinder Surprise eggs, the two aisles claiming to be Mum-friendly have "healthier snack options" instead.

I must admit I didn't look at the items on offer any more than beyond a glance, but they seemed to be filled instead with things like granola/muesli bars, etc, with not a chocolate in sight. I'll have to have a proper look the next time I'm there.

What an interesting concept. It will be interesting to see if the alternative options really are healthy or not... my first instinct is to think that they might be healthier than chocolate bars, but not necessarily healthy. Most snack bars of any sort tend to be filled with sugars, possibly preservatives, and, well... maybe they could pop some fresh fruit, nuts and less processed items on those last minute shopping shelves instead of a "lesser of two evils".

Eat to Save Your Life

I don't even have a decent excuse for not blogging for so long. Let's just say, Facebook has heaps of neat little applications and I've been hooked on The Hatchery during my free time.

The night before last, Jamie Oliver's "Eat to Save Your Life" aired on Channel Ten at 9:30pm. What an eye-opening show. For example, we all vaguely know that sausages aren't particularly healthy, but Jamie got a butcher on the show, who made typical sausages from scratch. He started by mincing leftover cuts of meat (they were more like fat and sinew lined with a touch of meat) into a bowl, then adding the preservatives (including copious amounts of salt, sugar and unidentifiable emulsifiers) usually added to give that nasty, cheap, tasteless stuff some flavour. UGH. I am NEVER eating a sausage again. I don't usually eat them anyway, but will at times have a bite of James'. Forget that.

True, I could make them myself or pay premium prices for good quality sausages that actually contain meat and natural flavours, but why bother? There's plenty of other stuff out there I'd rather eat.

Other interesting features in this 90 minute show were an interesting look at the cross-section of two people, one of a healthy weight and size and the other an obese size. Yes, literally a cross-section ~ they were two bodies that had been frozen and preserved and then slice taken from head to toe for our viewing and education. The freaky Dr Gunther also performed a dissection of a 25 stone man (that's over 150kg for the non-British out there). The amount of fat stored in his belly area was typical of males that overweight. What I NEVER knew was that the fat was so excessive, his lungs were tiny, only HALF the size of that of a normal man! Shocking. So a large part of the reason that people who are too overweight can't really do any cardiovascular activity without wheezing and half collapsing to death is because they don't even have the lunge size to take in enough oxygen to fuel their bodies.

If you didn't watch the show, it is certainly worth it. In our modern society many of us are eating ourselves to death, with NO IDEA of what we're doing to our bodies! I hope Jamie releases this show on DVD because I'll be buying myself a copy.

Next week, Wed 9:30pm on Channel Ten is another show by Jamie Oliver - "Jamie's Fowl Dinners", this time about the chicken and egg farming industries. I'm not looking forward to watching that one, but whilst I feel I want to avoid the discomfort of learning the truth, avoiding the truth never actually made the truth less true.

If you forgot to brush your teeth last night...

I am a member of Spark People. It is a great resource for me to get ideas for how to motivate my clients as well as to get some personal inspiration of my own. Below is a bulletin board post from one of Spark People's members that was highlighted this week - it's a good one!

"If you forgot to brush your teeth last night, did you decide this morning to throw in the towel and never brush your teeth again? Since you're obviously a slob who doesn't have enough self- discipline to remember to brush your teeth, why bother brushing them at all if you forgot to last night?

Of course not.

So if you had ice cream for dinner last night, or didn't exercise yesterday, or gained a pound this week, don't throw in the towel! Make a healthier choice for dinner tonight by eating something lean. Go for a short walk. Weigh in again next week.

Just do NOT give up."

P.S. I forget to brush my teeth all the time! I know... that's yuck of me isn't it? Here's another bit of news for you: personal trainers and/or aerobics instructors sometimes put on weight too (shock, horror!).

International No Diet Day - Tuesday 6th May 2008

So I just heard on the radio this afternoon that tomorrow is International No Diet Day. And to celebrate, you can head to The Butterfly Foundation at Federation Square tomorrow morning to receive your free inspirational postcard and sweet treat.

What is International No Diet Day supposed to represent? According to The Butterfly Foundation website, "This important day is designed to highlight the dangers of punitive & restrictive dieting & encourage people to accept their natural body shape."

Before today, I didn't know anything about The Butterfly Foundation. But having a browse through their website I like some of what I hear, e.g. promoting positive body image, teaching people to accept themselves, etc.

However, I do not think that giving out free sweets is the best way to protest going on a restrictive diet. By definition, a restrictive diet is one where you eat so little that your body is not getting the nutrients it requires to function at its best. Eating food that is otherwise typically known as junk food is going to provide energy, but is not going to provide much else in the way of nutrients.

It would seem to me that the wrong message is being sent - the message should be "Today is International Diet Day: we want to educate you so that you don't unnecessarily restrict your food intake in an attempt to get really thin."

Instead, the message that is being sent is, "Today is International Diet Day: so ditch the stupid diet! Here, let's have some free junk food."

Ironically enough, is it most likely that if anyone is going to be eating the "free sweet treats" tomorrow morning, it will not be those who are currently severely restricting their food intake (unless they plan to vomit it back up again).

The Biggest Loser Finale

It's just about to start! How exciting. Two women in the final... my money is probably still on Sam but it would be nice to see Kirsten or Alison take out the title of the first ever female Biggest Loser... if Kirsten can't do it, not sure who else can, given her competitive nature.

They are all going to look so awesome! I hope they're doing that thing again where each contestant walks out alongside a life-size digital image of themselves at the start of the game!!!

Tips for a Successful Workout Program

1. Exercise Daily.
3-4 times per week is fine if your goal is cardiovascular fitness, but weight loss is a different goal altogether. Research has shown that weight loss efforts are more successful if you exercise daily. Why? Read my previous post for one reason.

Make it a priority. The sooner you start building the habit, the better.

2. When you do cardiovascular exercise, make it brisk.
A leisurely stroll does burn energy (more so than sitting on the couch watching TV!) but if you are time-poor and need to make the most of your exercise minutes, aim for a slight amount of breathlessness. You should still be able to carry on a conversation but only between deeper-than-usual breaths. This breathlessness is an indicator that your heart rate is increased. The higher your heart rate, the harder your body is working and therefore the more calories you burn. As your fitness increases, you should find that you need to increase the pace/intensity of your exercise in order to achieve the same level of breathlessness.

3. Strength training 2-3 times per week.
This keeps your muscles stimulated and will encourage your body to maintain its muscle mass, and possibly even gain some. Remember - you want to lose fat, not muscle. Fat is dead weight - it is simply a form of energy storage utilised by your body. Muscle on the other hand is very much alive - the more muscle you have, the more energy you burn. And for the women out there who are worried they'll get bulky... you won't. I try to push myself hard in my strength sessions and have personal goals to increase my strength to lift heavier weights, and no one would ever describe me as bulky.

4. Change your program at least every 6 weeks.
Our bodies are amazing. They don't like to be stressed... so they adapt to cope with stresses better and more efficiently. So you need to keep changing your program in order to challenge your body to continue adapting. If you stick to the same routine for a long time, there will come a point where you hit a "plateau" which is another way of saying that your body has become efficient at doing whatever activities you are making it do, and so it doesn't need to adapt anymore.

5. Seek professional guidance.
You're probably thinking that now I'm just trying to make a sale. But that is far from the truth. One key element to a great training program is knowing how to do the exercises correctly and effectively. There is no point being able to do hundreds of chin ups, only to discover that this is because your arms are really strong and doing all the work and your back muscles are virtually doing nothing. Too often we focus on the end product (getting our chin up to the bar) rather than the process involved (activating the right muscles and getting them to work together as a team). Getting some sessions with a (good) personal trainer will set you up on the path to training success. And that trainer will also probably get a lot more effort out of you in a short session with him/her than you would get out of yourself in the same amount of time (which usually means more calories burnt during that time too!).

If finances are an issue, consider getting at least a few sessions to kickstart yourself, so that you can at least learn the correct technique and glean as much as you can from those session before you then try to go at it on your own. Or maybe request contributions towards sessions as birthday or Christmas gifts... after all, your personal health is one of the most valuable things your possess.

The same thing applies to group fitness classes, which are a service provided by most gyms at no additional cost. I know I work much harder during a Cycle class with an instructor urging me to push myself than just going for a cycle by myself in the cardio area of the gym (whilst watching a program on TV at the same time, which of course means I'm less focussed and don't work as hard).

6. Find something you enjoy!
If you hate running, then don't run. Simple as that. If you prefer the gym to the park, then by all means invest in a membership. In order to keep up an active lifestyle you need to find something you enjoy. Something that is able to get you up in the morning or out after a hard day's work (or during your lunch break). I don't try to cajole my husband into weekly aerobics classes, just like he'd never pressure me into joining him in a basketball game. Better yet, if you can find a friend or two that enjoy the same things you do, then you'll have a buddy to not only keep you accountable, but encourage you to keep going on days you feel like skipping a session.

It's Not Easy to Lose Fat ... Do the Math and See Why!

I've been meaning to post this one for a little while, just never got around to it. But to mark the final week of the Biggest Loser contestants' residence in the White House, I thought now might be a good time to open some eyes.

I love watching The Biggest Loser. But one thing a lot of people just don't comprehend is how difficult it is to lose weight. So I thought a little math lesson in weight loss might help some of you to see what sort of effort is required to lose weight.

The generally recommended rate of weight loss amongst nutritionists and fitness professionals is between 0.5 to 1kg per week. This is considered to be both safe and maintainable in the long term. Does that rate sound too slow for you? Well then keep reading.

When I refer to "weight loss" I am specifically talking about FAT LOSS. Most of us are aware that if you drink 1L of water then you will weigh 1kg heavier... but losing water weight is not what ultimately will change your body shape.

For the purposes of this math lessons, let's be conversative and aim for a weekly loss of 0.5kg (500g) of fat. To lose weight, you essentially have to spend more energy than what you eat. So, how much energy is in 500g of fat?

1g fat = 9 calories
Therefore, 500g fat = 500 x 9 = 4500 calories

So in one week, you need to use 4500 calories more than you eat! Bet you didn't realise just how massive that number would be!

Let's break that down into a more manageable figure:

4500 calories per week = 4500 calories in 7 days.
Therefore 1 day = 4500/7 = 643 calories per day.

If you decide to try to lose weight through diet alone, I can guarantee that not only will you find this difficult, you will be hungry all the time. You will probably also be likely to not just lose fat weight, but muscle weight too. This in itself could be another blog post, but for now, just take my word for it that you do not want to lose muscle weight. Trust me.

640 calories is not burnt in a mere 30min brisk walk. Nowhere close!

30min moderate walk (6km/h) = 130 calories
30min brisk walk/light jog (8km/h) = 260 calories
30min run (10km/h) = 340 calories

This morning, I taught an aerobics class which was a combination of Step and Hilo. My heart rate monitor informed me that I burned 510 calories in 47mins (the class was actually 90mins long, but I kept forgetting to turn the computer monitor on at the start of my classes, so I'm generally only recording half of my classes... ugh!).

This might sound great to you - do a 1hr aerobics class, and Bob's Your Uncle, you've clocked in your daily 643 calorie burn time. What most people forget to factor into the equation is how hard do they work during the class? Some of my participants certainly do work hard, but others do not. And let me tell you, when I teach an aerobics class, I probably work harder than when I simply participate in a class. Sure, I sweat when I participate, but when I teach, I don't just sweat... it actually drips off me! According to what I've read online, on average you can burn about 300 calories in a 1hr Step class... maybe more in a Hilo class (if you work hard enough in the Hilo class that your average heart rate is higher than in a Step class).

The purpose of this post is not to paint an impossible picture and make you feel like you can't ever lose the weight. It's to help you appreciate that losing weight IS hard work. There are no shortcuts (apart from liposuction I suppose, and even that requires lots of $$ and pain!). If there were shortcuts, then our nation would not be going through an Obesity Epidemic.

And as for those diets that promise you will lose 7kg in 14 days ... they work short term but won't sustain you for life. Plus, that 7kg is not predominantly fat.

Next time: Tips for a Successful Workout Program

Step Routines

I know this will make no sense to anyone else except for me and possibly some other instructors who might be able to decipher my language, but I just absolutely love my new step routines and had to publicly declare them somewhere.

Both routines total 32 counts and change legs ready to repeat on the other leg for a second set of 32.

Routine #1:

• Reverse Straddle = 4 counts
• Switch Curl = 4 counts
• Chasse (around the step) x 2 = 4 counts
• Gallop Straddle = 4 counts
• Stomp Chasse x 2 (stomp on step first time, stomp on floor second time) = 8 counts
• Rock Back = 4 counts
• Single Knee = 4 counts

Routine #2:

• Stomp + Pivot turn = 4 counts
• Leap (sideways across step) = 4 counts
• Samba over Step = 6 counts (referred to by some as 2 x Quick Steps)
• Pivot = 2 counts
• Gallop Straddle = 4 counts
• Single Kick = 4 counts
• Side Tap Forwards = 4 counts
• Hop over Step = 2 counts
• Skip (like a Chasse on the Spot) = 2 counts

Instead of the Hop & Skip at the end you could choose instead just to do a normal "Over the Top" for 4 counts.

I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP!
I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP!
I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP!
I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP!
I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP!
I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP! I LOVE STEP!

What does this Aerobics Instructor do in her free time?

She practises her routines for the next few classes she's teaching in her living room, wearing pyjamas and a pair of Crocs (because practising barefoot, even on carpet, hurts more than wearing some sort of footwear).

And she avoids Ab exercises at all costs.

Step Aerobics

I'm very excited this afternoon. Tonight I'm teaching a Step Class for the first time in a little while. It's an intermediate to advance class, so I finally get to re-showcase some routines I wrote back in March when I covered another instructor's Step class on Easter Saturday. I haven't had the opportunity to do those routine since, because the only other time I teach Step is on a Thursday morning for 20 minutes - not really long enough for me to delve into my beloved routines.

I love Step aerobics. I love it way more than Hilo. I mean, I do really like Hilo... but I absolutely LOVE Step. I can't wait until I get to regularly teach a full Step class of my own every week.

You get such a great workout whilst minimising the impact on your joints. You work up a sweat easily because for the entire class you have to step on and off a Step. For Hilo, I find I have to consciously work harder to try and get the same level of sweat factor.

Step absolutely rocks! If you've never tried it before and are considering it, do give it a go! But make sure you go to a class with a good instructor - in the world of freestyle aerobics, this makes a HUGE difference between whether you enjoy a class or not, whether it be Step, Hilo, THT, or any combination of these and other styles of classes.

Super-Challenge Results

Recap - my guesses were:

1. Cosi's 200g Nestle Diet yoghurt ~ under 100cal
   
2. Kirsten's can of baked beans ~ assuming it's a small can, maybe 150-180cal?
   
3. Garry's 60g of Carmen's fruit muesli ~ 250-300cal
4. Sam's 55g Cadbury milk chocolate ~ 250-300cal
   
5. Alison's 74g McDonalds french fries ~ no idea! I would hazard a guess at 250-300cal, but
   I'm putting it as higher than the chocolate because it weighs more, and I'm not sure which of the two have the higher fat%. I know chocolate is typically quite high... french fries might have a lower fat % because despite being deep fried the fat is on the outside not mixed right through the middle like chocolate, but then french fries have a large surface area.*
   
6. Michelle's 600mL bottle of Fanta ~ at least 300cal

According to the show, the actual caloric figures were:

1. 200g Diet Yoghurt ~ 80 cal
2. 220g Baked Beans ~ 181 cal
3. 74g French Fries ~ 250 cal
4. 60g Carmen's Muesli ~ 277 cal
5. 55g Cadbury Chocolate ~ 290 cal
6. 600mL Fanta ~ 304 cal

So in summary, I had 3, 4 and 5 mixed up. Some additional lessons to take away from this exercise:

1. Whilst some might "shudder" at the muesli being a higher calorie content than the fries, don't forget that 60g muesli is a MEAL for many, whereas 74g frieds is a SIDE that many adults buy for their children whilst they consume a medium or large size of their own.

2. Beware soft drink! A 600mL bottle has close to the same calorie content as a meal should contain (bearing in mind, women who want to lose weight should aim for 1200-1500cal per day... so a soft drink would be one quarter to one fifth of a woman's daily allowance!). Aside from the high caloric content, that amount of sugar in one sitting is not good for ANYONE.

3. The chocolate and muesli are almost the same calories... again, however, you would eat a bowl of muesli for breakfast, but there is no way a 55g serving of chocolate would be as satisfying (or good for you).

The Biggest Loser Super-Challenge!

This was on TV last night. If you're a fan - wasn't it awesome to see the six contestants achieving what they did during the race? a 500m uphill run, followed by 4km bike ride, 3km canoeing on the sea (which included turning around a small island so it wasn't just canoeing in a straight line).

But then the nastiest part of all - six food items to choose from. The person who arrived first got the first choice of course, and the person who arrived last didn't get a choice at all. And whoever ended up with the food with the highest caloric content would be eliminated immediately.

Here is the order in which contestants finished the race, plus their food choices:

1. Cosi - 200g tub Nestle Diet yoghurt
2. Sam - 55g Cadbury milk chocolate
3. Kirsten - a can of baked beans (I'm not sure of the size but it looked like a smaller rather than larger size)
4. Michelle - 600mL bottle of Fanta (I think the normal kind rather than a diet variety but again, not sure)
5. Alison - small McDonalds french fries (weighing 74g)
6. Garry - 60g of Carmen's fruit muesli
   

What a dilemma. I actually think it would be worse to come 2nd or 3rd last instead of last because you could potentially not be the last to finish the race and yet have a hard food choice to make. Last year Damien got knocked out ... even though his amazing effort got him in 2nd last place (remember the guy was still carrying close to 200kg of body weight at the time) he chose a healthy food - eggs - but there were six of them, something he forgot to take into account!

My main issue with this challenge is that some of food items are clearly unhealthier than others (e.g. McDonalds vs muesli) and yet might have a lower caloric content due to portion sizes. However, when I thought more about it, this issue does teach a few important lessons for anyone wanting to lose or control their weight:

1. Portion size matters! You can still eat too much of a healthy food item and not lose weight, or gain weight. An example of this is fruit - yes, fruit it healthy, but it is also filled with sugar. Now if you were to eat, say, more than 4 servings every day in addition to your normal meals, this could be a contributing fact to why you're not shedding those unwanted kilos. Or you could be eating muesli for breakfast every morning but having double or triple what you need to have.
2. Many of us are aware that one factor of weight loss or maintenance is allowing ourselves to have treats, as long as the portion size and how often we have them is under control. Chocolate is a good example - many people, if deprived of this simple pleasure for too long, are likely to get out of control and have a binge. Again, the principle of portion control needs to come into play. Have a piece of cake on your birthday if that's what you've been looking forward to in the weeks leading up to it... but decide in advance to have one slice, decide on the size of that slice, savour and enjoy that slice, and don't go back for seconds!

So... what's my personal verdict on the above food items and their caloric order? Well it's a very tough call for a number of them, I wouldn't be surprised if several of the items are less than 30 calories apart, but here's my guess, from lowest to highest, plus my estimate of calories they contain (I'm really testing my knowledge here!):

1. Cosi's 200g tub Nestle Diet yoghurt ~ under 100cal
   
2. Kirsten's can of baked beans ~ assuming it's a small can, maybe 150-180cal?
   
3. Garry's 60g of Carmen's fruit muesli ~ 250-300cal
4. Sam's 55g Cadbury milk chocolate ~ 250-300cal (would have more fat than muesli)
   
5. Alison's 74g McDonalds french fries ~ no idea! I would hazard a guess at 250-300cal, but
   I'm putting it as higher than the chocolate because it weighs more, and I'm not sure which of the two have the higher fat%. I know chocolate is typically quite high... french fries might have a lower fat % because despite being deep fried the fat is on the outside not mixed right through the middle like chocolate, but then french fries have a large surface area.*
   
6. Michelle's 600mL bottle of Fanta ~ at least 300cal
   

What do you think? How would you order the foods? Most importantly, which food would you have chosen and would you have been eliminated as a result?


*side note - knowing the fat % of these foods is importance because, gram for gram, fat is double the calories compared to carbs and protein. Fat is about 9cal per gram, carbs and protein are 4cal per gram. Hence the McDonalds chips being heavier than the chocolate should not be the only factor to consider... if this doesn't make sense to you, pop me a question.

My First THT Class

Just to explain up front - THT stands for Tummies, Hips and Thighs. A popular one amongst the ladies... but remember, girls, you can't spot reduce! If you have no idea what I'm talking about I'll explain that one in another post ~ just remind me!

Tonight was fun. It wasn't the most challenging class I've ever delivered, but that was to be expected, as I had already explain to my participants that it would take a few weeks for me to get to know them and cater the class more to them.

Half the class - basic Hilo stuff. Anyone out there wanting to learn how to do aerobics, this would be a good class to get you started as I'm sticking to pretty basic choreography for a few weeks to get the newbies into it.

The other half - lots of sweat, ab crunches, butt crunches, and more. Fun stuff. Love it. Didn't used to, but somewhere along the line I learnt to.

Anyway my reason for writing this has nothing to do with describing my class and everything to do with what happened after. I left my CDs in the studio! Anyone who is a fellow instructor knows what a disaster this is. And it wasn't just the typical, "oops, I left one CD in the CD player", I left my entire folder of 18 CDs, $350+ worth just sitting on top of the stereo! How silly of me. James told me tonight at least I'll never do that again... I have my doubts.

I discovered this about 10 minutes before the gym's closing time, frantically called them, threw on a jacket and raced out to get my precious CDs, arriving within minutes of closing time. Knowing they were closing soon I didn't even get changed so there I was, my first night on the job rocking up to reception in pyjamas, a jacket and crocs.

At least I happened to have my nice pyjama pants on tonight.

BodyBalance - A Review

One of the great things about being a group fitness instructor is that you typically get to use the facilities of the gyms at which you teach. This, for me, has opened up a whole new world of classes to try out.

One of these such classes was BodyBalance. Trying it for the first time yesterday morning, I felt so good afterwards that I went back this morning for more.

BodyBalance is a combination of Tai Chi, Pilates and Yoga. I have done Pilates but not the other two so I have no idea how well BodyBalance has incorporate the various aspects of these different practices. What I do know is that yesterday morning, my hamstrings felt tight, and at the end they were looser than they had been in several days. I also know that one of the Ab exercises was very effective - in a nutshell, it HURT! A lot!

I think this is one class I could definitely start attending regularly. In particular, because of my recent increase in aerobics activities, in particular and all the leg curls, double leg curls and single single double curls (you have to be a participant to know what I'm talking about here) I've been doing, I could certainly use the added support of additional stretching.

We spent almost an entire song ("Kissing You" from the Leonardo DiCaprio Romeo & Juliet movie) stretching our hammies. We also spent an entire song on balancing, first one foot then the other, and not just standing still on one leg but making all sorts of shapes and stuff using our arms. That's GOT to be good for me! I mean, I thought my balance was pretty good til then! Plus that'll help strengthen up my left ankle, which has been weaker than my right for months since I sprained it badly last year trying to hop in a 360 degree turn on my left leg.

I'm sure there are plenty of other benefits too - increase body and muscle awareness, relaxation... there are even strengthening components to the class. All I know is that I had fun and I'll be back for more.

A New Career for A New Year

Thanks for those comments, Devi, Lowell, Athel, May and Chandre. Apologies if I missed anyone. I promise it wasn't just a cheap ploy to get comments, unlike my previous attempts. I forget though that sites like Multiply are good for letting people know you've actually written a post despite 6 months' silence.

Anyway I don't really know how to write this next post without it being really long so here it is in point form. If you have any further questions, you can comment, or message or email me, and we'll go from there. But who knows, a succinct series of bullet points may just about answer all your questions.

**I'm not longer working for Donna. I stopped about a month ago. I'm not exactly changing careers, in the sense that I'm still working in the fitness industry. But rather than being a personal trainer full time I want to split my working hours between personal training and aerobics instructing.

**I'm not currently working full time. In fact I seem to be playing a combination of house wife and aerobics instructor whilst I work on re-building a new client base on the personal training side of things.

**I've been teaching on average about 5 aerobics classes per week - which is more than enough for me right now. Mainly because my feet can't really take much more at this point ... I'm waiting for the blisters on the balls of my feet to turn into calluses. That's when I'll truly know that I have tough (and slightly ugly) feet. haha.

**For anyone who might be interested in coming along to one of my classes, my weekly regular classes are:

1. Tri 20, 10am Thursdays at Bennettswood Fitness - a combination of hilo aerobics, step aerobics and upper body exercises using hand weights
2. THT (Tummies, Hips & Thighs), 7pm Tuesdays at Aqualink Nunawading
3. Coming soon... Aerobics, 6pm Wednesdays at Deakin Uni YMCA - for all students out there this is a 6 week class starting April 9th.

My days as a personal trainer are, however, far from over. More will be revealed. I must admit though that teaching aerobics is such a refreshing change.

A commonly believed myth by many is that it is easy for personal trainers to stay in shape because we are around exercise all the time. This is FALSE. Like any job it can be easy to get so busy working that you don't set aside time to look after your own health. In case you haven't noticed, most personal trainers spend their days prescribing exercise and then supervising their clients ~ we don't exercise all day long with them!

Aerobics instructor world is, however, a completely different ball game. A personal trainer can work for 40 hours per week and not necessarily do much exercise, albeit the job is more active than a typical desk job. However if an aerobics instructor works for 20 hours a week, you can safely bet that he or she exercises that many hours too!

So a combination of the two will work nicely for me. I will no longer have to go to the gym or for a run just for the sake of getting some exercise. In fact, I find I work harder in a class that I teach myself compared to one that I participate in, because I'm setting the example. Fun stuff! I know, for some of you readers it would probably be your idea of hell on earth.

Making a slow comeback to BlogWorld

I know I've been AWOL for a while. I think I'm back. There's a lot to update you on (so much!) but given I've been away for so long, I have no idea if anyone out there even reads or checks in on this anymore - I wouldn't blame you if you don't, after all it's been so many months I can't even count.

According to my sitemeter there's still a lot of weekly hits, maybe everyone's finally got themselves a Google reader? Or you're just really persistent. Scarily persistent.

So give me a holler (drop me a comment?) if you're reading, so I know whether I should even be writing on this thing still or not.

Love you all, miss you more.