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.

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)

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).

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 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.

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.

Gyms in Manila?

James and I depart for Manila on Saturday 7 July. My first ever visit... finally! I've been wanting to go there since I was 17. It only took me 8 years to finally get around to it.

We'll be there until 24 July. Which means that if you are reading this and you know your way around Manila, you can help me. Is there a local gym you can recommend I check out whilst I'm there? I'd just love to see how another country does stuff and how it differs from Australia.

Gosh... if I have to, I might even pop into a Fitness First. But what I'd really prefer is a true blue Filipino-branded gym, if indeed this does exist.

If you currently live in Manila, any chance you can find out whether your local gym accepts day visits or guest passes (e.g. do they sell a one or two week guest pass)?

Favourite Gym Equipment

Currently, my favourite piece of equipment is the Smith Machine. It's so versatile! So much so that James and I have plans to purchase one. Admittedly, it's a cheap version from Kmart but we tested it out tonight and it does the job okay, i.e. it won't kill us by unexpectedly dropping a heavy weight on our necks.

Looks like the "Poker Room" might be transformed into a mini home gym before the month is out.

Now all I want to do is get my hands on a Gymstick!

Wrandom Writings

My love and gratitude to you family and friends who have offered your congratulations and support to me regarding my recent career update announcement. I love you and wouldn't be where I am today without you!

***

James has been laughing at me for the last two weeks because it suddenly occurred to him that pursuing my new career path will require me to be out of bed every morning earlier than he! James has always been a morning person. When we first got married, I definitely was not a morning person! Now, by default, I am.

***

I have only been to work for one day (yesterday) and I love it already. I love the atmosphere, the work environment, the clients and most of all, the team that works there! Everyone has been so friendly and welcoming. Can I see myself in this place for years to come? Yes!

***

It is easier to get out of bed at 5am then at 8am. It was decidedly warmer at 5am yesterday morning than any other morning that I've woken up in winter! I know that sounds weird, but Matt, one of the trainers at the studio, confirmed it - he told me that it's usually warmer at 5am in the morning and then it cools down by 8am. That's a very comforting fact for me to hold on to.

***

Getting this new job has given me a new motivation to complete my studies and do them well. There came a point during the course when I had just had enough of assignments. The first few study topics were fantastic, but when I discovered that one of my most recent assignments was to write up a business plan, I felt this was a bit of a waste of my time, simply because at this point in my career I am not thinking about business, and whatever business plan I come up with now will probably have changed once I've gained some experience. Now, I have a new drive to complete the task at hand, even though, secretly, I would rather be reading more books on exercise and nutrition instead.

***

I unexpectedly ran into my new friends at the gym today. I met them about 3 weeks ago, and usually see them on Thursdays but discovered today that they also train on Tuesdays. This turned out to be a good thing because one of them spotted my bench presses for me. I haven't done bench presses for 2 weeks so I really needed that extra assurance. Thanks, Dave!

***

If you're sick and tired of the same old push ups, try something new - put your feet on a Swiss ball and it won't be long before you notice the increase in difficulty. The closer you put your feet together, the more challenging the exercise. This is my new favourite exercise.

***

It just started raining like cats and dogs outside. Definitely heavier than I've seen in a while. This could be a fantastic opportunity to test out how well my spunky new Nike+ running jacket protects my iPod, but I just don't feel like getting wet right now. Plus, I have to go write up that business plan.

Group Fitness Instruction

Today, I faxed my enrollment for the Group Fitness Instructor part of my course, which is the final stage of my learning.

However I was disappointed to learn that there is a possibility the course will not go ahead because there are not enough people enrolled for the course at this point in time. There are still 3 weeks to go before the course is schedule to begin, so maybe there will be a bunch of last minute enrollments.

I really hope so!!!

I am just so disappointed. The reason for the growing lack of interest in this course is due to recent changes in the industry, in particular the growth in popularity of Les Mills classes. Les Mills is a company that pre-choreographs group fitness classes to pre-determined music tracks and sells the music with accompanying choreography to group fitness instructors. This means that in this day and age, the average group fitness instructor no longer needs to employ his/her personal skills and creativity to choreograph a unique class. Instead, ANYONE can teach the class if they buy the instruction manual and matching music tracks.

If you have been to any class labeled BODY-something (e.g. BODYpump or BODYstep) you have been to a Les Mills class. I have been to BODYpump classes and I do think they are great. But in the end, it is mass-produced fitness that does not involve individual and unique creativity.

Pros: an average or even not-very-good group fitness instructor can take one of these programs, teach a class and be great at it. I guess the level of choreography in every class becomes more standardized because someone else out there is doing all the choreography for everyone. You're much less likely to go to a "bad" class.

Cons: less individuality (e.g. I have favourite instructors who have their own style of choreography and teaching - if these instructors had limited themselves to Les Mills I would never have experienced their wonderful creativity in one of their classes).

I guess it's like the difference between James and I at a restaurant. James will try new things, but he is more likely to find his favourites on the menu and stick to them most visits. I, on the other hand, will always want to try new menu items. Sometimes I will get a complete dud of a meal, but when I stumble across that never-to-be-forgotten dish, it makes all the duds well worth finding that delectable gem.

In my opinion, pre-choreographed classes are mass-produced fitness. They are the convenience of this day and age - convenience for instructors who want great results (an excellently choreographed class) without putting in the study and preparation required to create their own classes.

It disappoints me, because I feel it makes it more difficult to distinguish truly excellent instructors from the "good" or the "average". Yes, at the end of the day, group fitness instruction is a job for many - a way to put food on the table. But it can also be so much more than that!

A Tribute to Damien

Tonight on The Biggest Loser, Damien was eliminated.

Damien is easily everyone's favourite contestant on The Biggest Loser. Not just viewers and fans, but also the other contestants on the show.

Why? Because he is a natural leader amongst the contestants, leading not by force or manipulation, but rather through encouragement and by setting an example that inspired others to follow. Where other people would irritate one another due clashing personality types and character traits, Damien was loved by all. He always had an encouraging word - a genuine one too - for the black sheep in the house. He was always able to see things from other peoples' perspective.

And my favourite quote of his: "I am not saying I deserve to be in this house more than the others, but I do feel that I need to be here more" - in other words, Damien never once had an inflated view of himself. He recognized what an honour and privilege it was to have the opportunity to learn how to lose the weight he needed to lose.

Damien was not just the greatest guy on the show. He was also the biggest. He started the show weighing 216kg, which is the most anyone in the history of the entire show (all countries, not just Australia) has weighed. Up to this point he has lost over 68kg, which still puts him at 148kg. But his weight loss journey has been amazing. He was especially inspiring because typically in past seasons, the biggest contestant has often been the first one to be voted out of the show because he is the weakest player on the team, but Damien's determination allowed him to continue in the show well past any other over 200kg contestant.

Damien has been an inspiration to thousands of Australians - contestants, non-contestants, other people struggling with their weight, and even those who don't. James, Asher I absolutely love the guy and we were devastated to witness his elimination tonight.

I really hope Damien achieves his goal of a healthy weight, and that he goes on to live a long life so that he can continue to be an inspiration and hope to others who struggle to control their weight.

New Purchases

I haven't been shopping in ages! But today I made a few purchases that I am particularly excited about:

• My first pair of proper running leggings. I tested them out today too, because didn't want to wear them for the first time on race day next week. Went for a 12km run with Katie - you can read about it in TRAINING bLOG.

• Two books entitled "Exercise Analysis Made Simple" and "The Exercise Guide to Resistance Training". One of my tasks before this coming Friday is to learn all the names, actions, origins and insertions of the muscles in the human body. These two books will prove not only helpful in my study, but useful in future as I begin learning to write programs for people.

Now on my wish list: a pair of Skins (size: XS, style: 3/4 length leggings). Skins are a brand of compression garment. In laymen's terms... they are really tight! I tried a pair on today - they felt really good. You would have laughed to see me testing them out by jogging on the spot in the change room.

According to scientific research, one of the benefits of compression garments is that the support reduces the amount of muscle movement (or "wobble") which therefore reduces muscle damage due to prolonged exercise.

So, yes, I would LOVE to have a pair of Skins! But not right now I guess... they're $140 a pair! Too much of a chunk out of my purse for now.

This one's for Neli!

Neli, I am so proud of you! Friends and readers ~ this is why.

It is by no means an easy thing to make a lifestyle change. But then again, anything that is worthwhile is not easy. Neli, you've counted the cost, you're making your stand, and you are publicly declaring it to the world so that we can encourage you and keep you accountable.

YOU STRONG, NELI!

As someone who has experienced and learnt from the same journey you are embarking on, I am behind you all the way! There will be many things that you will learn, just as I did. Not only was I made aware of my own weaknesses ~ especially regarding the unnecessary desires of my stomach, LOL ~ I also learnt just how much I am capable of!

Neli, and everyone else out there, you are capable of so much! And for those of you who have the privilege of following after the God that I follow, even more so with His strength behind you!

Finding your exercise love

I headed to the gym this morning for a Cross-Trainer aerobics class. For the first time since October, I felt excited to be going to the gym for a workout.

That's when I re-discovered my love for aerobics. Yes, I am starting to enjoy running, largely due to the fact that I am now able to start and more importantly finish a run. However, the prospect of a run does not excite me anywhere near as much as the prospect of going to an aerobics class.

For the last few weeks I have been thinking and re-thinking through whether I should become a Group Fitness Instructor in addition to Personal Training, or just do Personal Training only. There are various arguments to support both options. Today I realised that if I love aerobics so much, I will probably love teaching it, especially because I am presented with the unique opportunity to be the very sort of instructor that I love.

In my entire aerobics-class-attending-career (this being my 8th year) I have come across five instructors - Chris, Rachelle, Carol, Jenelle & Cheryl - that I think are outstanding, in each her own way. I want to be a combination of all of them ~ excellent choreography combined with an amazing ability to teach, combined with the ability to challenge, inspire, and push (!) people to work hard during a class.

For all those of you who have made New Years Resolutions to exercise more, a word of advice: find something that works for YOU. Yes, you do need discipline to maintain an exercise routine, but you will find it so much easier to achieve if you ENJOY what you are doing! I first discovered aerobics in 2000, and ever since then have gradually moved onwards and upwards in my fitness levels and subsequently my personal goals in this area of my life.

Had I not discovered this love, I might never have started the journey. If you want to start your journey, start by finding out for yourself what you love (or could love) to do. Experiment! Try something new! Don't allow yourself to be intimidated. I could barely keep up with the instructors commands in my first aerobics class... and that was a beginner's level class. But I enjoyed myself, kept going, got better, and loved it the more I did it. Did you know that there are new types of fitness classes being invented every year? So don't be afraid to think out of the box. Or you can ask me for ideas!

Running regularly helps me to maintain my fitness and train myself to be disciplined, because it's something I find difficult to do. But aerobics is what keeps me passionate about exercise in general. In this day and age, our sedentary lifestyles mean that it is not an option for us to not be active. So find your niche, your passion, your love... and do it!

Daily Exercise...

Check out this video on my friend Lowell's site.

It features a series of advertisements by "The Health Promotion Foundation' in Thailand. I don't know what scares me more - that the producers of these ads appear to be completely serious (i.e. these appear to be actual promotional tools, not someone making them as a joke), or that this is the tool being used to promote an active lifestyle amongst viewers of the ad.

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