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My workout for the next 6 weeks

This is going to be a long post.

Today, I want to detail the workout routine that I will be following for the next 6 weeks.

The routine combines cardio, core and weight training. I've taken routines and circuits I've learned from three different personal trainers and arranged them into 4 unique workouts that will hopefully target the entire body over the duration of the 4 workouts.

Again, I must remind my readers, I am NOT an expert. I am simply just like you; a person who seeks to improve their overall fitness through a regular exercise routine.

It would be awesome if some of you decide to join me by following this routine. I really want to hear how it works for you, what you like, what you don't like and the areas of your body you want to target. There is no one single right or perfect way for everyone or anyone to workout. Its all a matter of trial and error; then adjusting things once again. Together, we can achieve a healthier lifestyle!!

And now on to the routines:

The Overview

I've been advised recently that I need to have more rest time between workouts. It was suggested that I workout one day and rest the next.  For me, this doesn't work very well.  One of my main reasons for starting a regular exercise routine was to relieve stress. I tried the one on, one off schedule this past week and I don't like it.  Its not helping my stress level. So instead I will be working out two days, resting one day, working out three days, resting one day. This rounds out  a 7 day week, and spreads out the workouts and rest days a little better than the schedule I had previously where I worked out 5 days in a row then rested two.  Its a trial and error thing, so I'm gonna try it for a week, then let you know if I need to adjust it, or if its working fine.  Everybody is different. Every "body" is different. So YOU will have to judge for yourself what routine works best for you.

Rest periods are important. This is the time when your body actually gets stronger. During the workout, you are breaking down your body. The rest time is the pay-off time.  For a better more technical explanation you can read more here: The Importance of Rest Periods

I've included links to more information on each part of my discussion here. I want to be as detailed as possible so that you can find out what each exercise looks like. To be honest, I had no clue what a downward dog was until a few weeks ago.

DAY ONE

Thursday - The Barry Core Workout (1 hour)

Yes, I started my 6 week challenge today, and today is Thursday. I don't believe in waiting to Monday to start something. I got the urge to do it today, so today is when I begin. Why put off to Monday what I can start today??

Back to the topic:

Overview:

10 minutes of cardio (your choice: elliptical, treadmill or stationary bike)- make sure you are pushing the cardio so that your heart rate hits the optimal level for your age and weight. Check here to find out your recommended cardio heart rate

The Set

10 reps Vertical Leg Lifts


10 reps Vertical Leg crunches(10 left leg raised, 10 right leg raised, 10 both legs raised)


10 reps Hip Lifts (I put my feet up on a cardio step for this one)

10 reps Split Squat with raised leg (this video shows the leg raised way too high, I only use a cardio step and keep my back leg placed firmly on the step; lower yourself straight down so that the work is done by the front leg. You should feel this in your butt and your thigh) Do 10 reps with your left leg in front and 10 reps with your right leg in front.

3 minutes cardio (your choice: elliptical, treadmill or stationary bike)

repeat The Set

Each set takes me about 20 minutes to complete. You will probably complete two sets, add in your starting 10 minutes of cardio and that leaves you with 10 minutes to stretch at the end of your workout.

Day one is done!! Congrats!!

Day Two

Friday - Free Weight Workout (1 hour)

They say nothing in life is truly free. Well that also applies to this workout. For women and beginners start with a modest weight. I use 10 or 12lb barbells and 20 and 30lbs dumbells.  Pick a lower weight to try. If after the second set you still feel no burn, then up the weight a bit. Check here for a few more awesome tips

The Set

10 reps Bicep Curls


10 reps Shoulder lifts (do 10 reps each front and side lifts)

10 reps Stiff Legged Dead Lifts - don't be afraid of this video. I chose it because her form is perfect. I use 30lb weight. Start with 10 or 20lbs if you are a beginner. The form is most important to get the most benefit from this exercise. Keep your knees slightly bent and "stick out" your butt.

10 reps Standing Zottman Dumbell Curls - I couldn't find a video that fully illustrated the move I was taught by a PT. This video shows half of the move. Once you raise the dumbells to your shoulders, pause and then push straight up past your ears. Once you have them raised fully, this is when you turn them, return to your shoulders, pause and return to your waist. I'm hoping my explanation makes sense.

10 reps Tricep Press to forehead - The video shows dumbells, I use barbells; usually 20lbs. I tried 30lbs once and had trouble lifting the weight. As the video indicates; the key is technique.

repeat The Set

Finish your workout with 10-20 minutes of cardio (your choice; elliptical, stationary bike or treadmill)
Stretch

Day Three

Saturday - REST!!!

Day Four

Sunday - The Rich All-Over Conditioning Workout (1 hour)

This workout uses full range motion to target a variety of muscle groups and give you a nice overall workout.

Start with 10 minutes of cardio(your choice; elliptical, stationary bike or treadmill)

The Set

10 reps Medicine Ball Chopper and 10 lateral chopper - You can use any weight; kettlebell, dumbell, or just a weight. I use either 8 or 10lb weight. I was unable to find a video that showed the entire exercise. This one shows the lateral. I was taught to start with the ball above my head. Legs slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Push the ball down and through your legs, then back up again. Stretch up fully and push up onto your toes. This movement also forces you to balance and uses more core muscles. Do 10 reps each top to bottom, left to right (as shown in the video) and right to left.

10 reps Single Leg Anterior Reach (10 on left leg, 10 on right leg) - Looks simple, but again the focus is on balance and the exercise utilizes your core muscles. I use a dumbell stood on end as the tripod point since my gym doesn't have cones.

10 reps Split Squat (without cardio bench) Same technique as shown above on Day One.

10 reps Smith push up or TRX pushup - If your gym doesn't have a TRX then use a bar as demonstrated below.


10 reps Recline Row or TRX row (if available)

10 reps curl up/ situp - Oddly I couldn't find anything to demonstrate this. Lie on your back. Your legs should be bent perpendicular with your feet flat on the ground. Basically you curl up then continue to sit up. The idea is that you are using only your abs NOT your back, NOT your neck NOT your arms. It helps to have someone hold your feet. I place my feet under the edge of a treadmill or other machine at the gym.

10 reps hip lift (without raised legs) - See above Day One for the demo.

10 reps Bird Dog, 10 T-reach roll - This first video is the Bird Dog. For the T-Reach; start in the same position as the bird dog. Reach your right arm under your body and across to the left side. Then swing back out to reach back to the right extending outwards to your right side in a T from your shoulder. Stretch back and try to pinch the shoulder blade inwards while opening up the chest. Repeat 10 reps with each arm, left and right.

3 minutes high intensity cardio (your choice; elliptical, stationary bike or treadmill)
Rest one minute

Repeat the above set

Its a pretty long set, so I normally only get 2 or three sets done in an hour.
Finish your workout with stretching.

Day Five

Monday - Cardio Kill Me Now Workout (1 hour)

This one I created myself to cut through the boredom of cardio. If my knees were without problems, I could probably spice it up by joining a cardio class; maybe Zumba or something like that.

Have lots of water on hand for this workout and keep hydrated throughout.  You can approach this workout a few different ways. I used to begin each cardio starting slowing and finishing high. Now I find that I get more from intervals: Three -5 minutes of high intensity then 1-3 minutes of low intensity; alternating at intervals.

I use all three cardio machines; treadmill, elliptical and stationary bike. It doesn't matter which one you start on. I like to start with the elliptical, then the treadmill and finish on the bike. Do 20 minutes on the first machine; 15 minutes on the second and 10 minutes on the third. Finish your work out with 10 minutes of stretching.

Repeat the above workouts:

Day Six

Tuesday - The Barry Core Workout (1 hour) see above for details

Day Seven

Wednesday - REST!!

Yes, there are 4 workouts, two rest days and 7 days. (two days on, one day off, three days on; one day off; repeat) The idea is that you are not doing the same workout on the same day of the week. It gives you variety which hopefully will keep your interest and avoids getting into a rut. However, that being said, after the 6 week mark; I'm going to have to change up the routine because your body tends to adjust. Changing up your routine helps to avoid hitting plateaus.

This is probably my longest blog post in here. I wanted to be detailed. This will also serve as a reminder to me!!

Any questions?? Let me know.

I will check back in a week to let you know how this new routine is working out for me, and to hear how its working for you.

Until then...don't sweat the small stuff!!

I'm Injured

Well it finally happened dear readers; I managed to hurt myself on Sunday. I took a basketball to the park and spent an hour with my boyfriend shooting hoops. I was having a great time. Jumping and shooting and dribbling and running and jumping and jumping and......................ARG!!  I felt a cramp in my left side after one of the jumps.  I thought nothing of it.

 

About 10 minutes after shooting hoops, my lower back seized up; all the muscles tightened and cramped together into one painful knot.  Pain was radiating out towards my hips and twinges down my legs. I felt marvelous!!!

 

Not really!!!!!!!!

 

Me, being me; I chose to ignore it the rest of the day and carried on with my dinner plans and other plans.  Well Sunday night I hobbled into bed and decided I should probably call the doctor in the morning, just to be sure I didn't do any really serious damage.

 

The next morning; I limped over to my doctor where she confirmed that I had seized up the muscles in my lower back.  She said it was a result of a build up of lactic acid that normally the muscles will release but this time they did not. She told me to use alternating heat and cold to help relax the muscles. She gave me prescriptions for an anti-inflammatory and a muscle relaxer.

 

So now, I lie on my back with my knees raised typing this blog entry. Yesterday was quite painful. Today is a bit better. Sitting is difficult. I haven't been to the gym since Friday, which is really bugging me, as I really enjoy my gym visits.  I am to "relax" with the hope that by Friday there will be improvement. If no improvement, I am to call my doctor again. 

 

Its only been 36 hours and already I'm going stir-crazy not being able to be active.  My doctor said walking will help, so I do plan on doing that today.

 

Injury does happen, and probably will happen if you are active. That does not mean that you should not try things that might be out of your zone. The body does heal and for me, I can only learn my limits once my body decides to tell me I've reached them.  I don't consider my age ever, I figure since I'm working out 5 days a week I should be able to play an hour of hoops without worry. 

 

What I learned is that even with 5 hours of gym time a week, I'm still not as fit as I'd like to be. SO now, I plan to continue my workouts; once I am okay to do so, and improve my core strength so that I can minimize and hopefully eliminate injury.

I will post again on Friday to let you know my progress.

In the meantime; don't sweat the small stuff!!

Cah Productions Designs On-Line

New Gym Reviews

So I've been babbling on a lot lately about exercise and health in general. I've reported to you my own personal findings about what exercises and methods work best for me. I've done some research on the methodology of fitness and found some tips and ideas on healthy nutrition. Now, I'd like to return to reviewing some of the incredible fitness facilities available in the Hamilton Ontario area. I will be posting reviews of fitness clubs over the next few months.

Again I want to reiterate my purpose; that is to give you the reader a blog that informs, educates and with some luck inspires you to get up and start moving on your own path to personal health and fitness. My gym reviews will never be scathing or negative. The purpose is to provide you with first hand information and observations so that you can check out these businesses for yourself to see which ones will be a good fit for what you want to achieve.

So, what do you want to achieve?

That's your first step. Write down a few measurable and achievable goals. Obviously, if you have never adopted a regular exercise routine before, you will not expect to run a 10k race in the next 6 months. Keep in mind that goals which focus on weight loss tend to be short-lived and disappointing.

Weight loss is an inaccurate measure of fitness. As you become more fit, you lose fat and gain muscle. Muscle weighs more that fat, so gauging your "success" solely on what the scale tells you is false.  

Focus on simple things, like losing 2 inches from your waist at the end of 6 months. Or being able to walk up the stairs in your home without being out of breath. Or being able to kick or throw a ball with your kids without straining your back/knees/arms etc.

Next; examine your personality and current lifestyle. Do you have a regular work and personal schedule? Or is your schedule harried and unpredictable? Are you a self-starter? Are you determined and thrive on inner motivation? Or, do you need someone to kick you in the butt to get you moving?

Do you like to work on your own? Or do you need the support of a group setting to achieve your daily goals?  Are you a social animal? Or do you prefer to be solitary?

Your personality and current lifestyle will determine the type of fitness facility that will best meet your needs. In Hamilton, there are fitness clubs that offer solutions for every personality type and lifestyle. 

Basically there are four types of fitness clubs:

        1.  Large Mainstream gyms:

• These gyms offer a wide variety of services. The facilities are large and often there are more than one location. Services include complete range of equipment from free weights and resistance machines to treadmills, ellipticals and stationary bikes.  These gyms also have expansive change room facilities which include lockers, showers and saunas. Many of these gyms also provide personal trainers, group classes, physiotherapy sessions and some offer spa services and other specialty training such as boxing or yoga. 
• Members of large gyms are varied. Some members are the independent self-motivated type who are able to integrate their gym routine into their daily lifestyle. These members tend to visit the gym a minimum of 4 days per week and tend to visit at the same time of day every day.
• Members who need to be motivated and prefer a social component to their workouts; combine the additional features of personal trainers and group classes with their own individual workouts. Often these members visit the gym 3 or less days per week.

        2.  Small gyms that offer Big Gym services:

• These gyms offer much the same services as the larger gyms. The difference is that the small gyms provide more of a community atmosphere. Membership is smaller and members tend to know one another and socialize more in this smaller setting.  If you want a variety of services but in a cozier setting, these types of gyms would be appealing for you. Each gym has its own culture. You will need to visit the gym and try out a membership to determine if the culture fits your style.

        3.  Personal training Gyms:

• You will find these little gems in the most auspicious places. Many are nestled into strip malls and residential plazas. For the uninitiated, these small gyms offer personalized services that the larger gyms cannot provide. This makes them the ideal place for members who need the encouragement and support of a personal trainer.  Overall, they tend to be slightly more expensive than the larger gyms. However, what you receive in return is personal attention and the opportunity to really achieve those goals you set for yourself. Again, these gyms each have their own flavour or culture. Therefore; you will need to visit the gym yourself and try out a session to see if you "fit".   

        4.  Personal Trainers:

• You can also find personal trainers who will come into your home and work with you. Although I will not be reviewing these businesses; it is something to consider if you are desperately shy and need someone to cheer you on every step of the way towards your fitness goals.

As mentioned, only you can determine what type of fitness facility will suit you best. The best way to decide is try them out. Pick at least one gym from each category; Large Mainstream, Small Big Gym, Personal Training gym or a Personal Trainer and try them out for a day/session or two before signing any contract or giving your credit card information.  When you are successful at finding the right fit for your fitness needs; your own personal fitness goals will become more achievable.  And, you will also find that including daily fitness to your lifestyle will become a habit worth keeping.

until next time...don't sweat the small stuff!

I was Wrong

Let it never be said that I do not admit when I am wrong.

I was wrong.

I've been doing cardio at the start of my workouts then doing weights and core training.

Oops!!

I just found out that is the wrong order if your goal is to burn fat and become leaner !!

<insert sheepish smiley face here>

I found a wonderful blog post by a local gym that I feel is very valuable and informative and easy to understand. Well done!! This post explains and demystifies alot of misconceptions about exercise and workout routines.

You can read it here:

Fitness Tips that will change your Life

In case you need more proof, (I sure did) I also researched the concept of weights before cardio and found several more articles that support this thinking in addition to articles that also explain the pros and cons and reasons why to order your workout in specific ways to reach certain goals:

Does exercise order matter?
Before Or After?

Confused?

Me too. So being who I am, I am going to reverse my workout for a month; do weights first and cardio last.

I will let you know what I discover.

until then, don't sweat the small stuff!

Phoenix Fitness - Hamilton

Hamiltonians sure are lucky. We have alot of choice when it comes to choosing a gym membership. Today I was fortunate to visit two locations of Phoenix Fitness One is in Ancaster and the other is in Stoney Creek.

According to my research Phoenix Fitness was established in 1984. This is the only gym I have visited in two years that was completely up front about their fees right from the start. They're even posted on their web site! I found a couple web sites for Phoenix Fitness, both seem to have the same information.

The facility in Ancaster is quite small, however; the gym was bright and airy. The equipment was well maintained and the gym and changeroom areas were very clean.

The facility in Stoney Creek was about 4 times larger, was also bright and airy and very clean and well maintained.

Customer Service

I received excellent and friendly service at both locations. The staff at the front desk were both very knowledgeable about they gym, the various services and explained briefly the fee schedule.

Staff

At the Ancaster location I saw only one staff member at 7:30am this morning. He was incredibly friendly and helpful and was very enthusiastic about Phoenix Fitness. In Stoney Creek there was one woman at the front desk who was also very enthusiastic and helpful.

Changerooms

The changerooms are very basic. Members are provided with showers and lockers. Again I was very impressed with the cleanliness of the changeroom. 

Classes

I was given a class schedule at both locations. They were easily available right at the front desk and also are online. The variety of classes is pretty impressive. For me, its like looking at a buffet table; I will probably have to sample a bit of each one before I can decide which one(s) I like best.  

Personal Trainers

I did not see any PT's however I was at these locations pretty darn early. I did ask about personal trainers and was told that there were several available. You could book single sessions or purchase packages of 12 or more sessions. 

Hours & Parking

The Ancaster location is open:

Mon - Thurs Fri Sat Sun

5:30am - 10pm 5am - 9pm 7am - 6pm 7am - 5pm

Parking is shared at this location Staples and a few other stores in the plaza.

The Stoney Creek location is open: 

Mon - Thurs Fri Sat Sun

5:30am - 9:30pm 5:30am - 9pm 7am - 6pm 7am - 5pm

Parking here is also shared with other stores in the plaza. The only suggestion I have for this location is to get a more prominent sign that can be seen on Hwy 20. The building is actually behind several taller establishments and cannot been seen very well from the road.

 

Special Features

Phoenix Fitness does not have any "fancy" features like saunas and lap pools or running tracks. However, my first impression of this club is that they're emphasis is on making sure the members are happy with the gym and happy with their workouts. That, I would say, is a special feature. They also have a boxing area, which is very cool.

In addition, child care is included in the cost of membership, members have access to all three locations (Dundas, Ancaster and Stoney Creek). Memberships are pay-as-you-go, which means no contracts. Another cool thing they offer, is they will pause your membership if you are out of town or unable to use the gym for whatever reason. During the "pause" you are not charged fees. Very nice!

Overall

Overall, my first impression of both locations is favourable. I was unable to actually workout today, but I plan to go in on the weekend and try out the equipment. I suppose some people prefer a larger gym establishment just like they might prefer a "big box" store. While others prefer a smaller gym, a local establishment. These people often prefer to support local companies and small businesses. There are pro's and con's to both. So you would have to try it out to see whether you like it or not. It costs nothing to "try it on".  

As always, I welcome all comments, suggestions and ideas

don't sweat the small stuff

Membership: Rights and Responsibilities

As a fitness club member, or a member of any organization for that matter, you have rights and you have responsibilities. Its our nature to focus on our rights and to protest when we feel our rights are being ignored or trampled. And, its also our nature to forget, by-pass, avoid or downright ignore our responsibilities.

As a member, its our responsibility to report problems, errors, and needs to management so that these items can be address and fixed. Makes sense?  But do we do it? Probably not very well. And I am guilty of that also. When I see missing weight pegs, or magnets; broken treadmills or empty towel rolls, I probably should mention it on my way out, at the very least. Why whats the point??

Well, as a member we have the power to improve our club by reporting things that we see need attention.

Furthermore; as a member in a health and fitness facility we should be responsible for our own messes. Dispose of your garbage and wipe down the equipment when you're done.

Its such a small thing, but can make a world of difference in your club.

Again, I am not perfect and do forget to wipe down equipment; but 99% of the time, I do wipe down.

and that, would be the one and only rant I will post on this blog.................

until next time; don't sweat the small stuff

    

Exercise - Home vs Gym

Here it is, the long anticipated low down on exercise routines at home vs in a gym.

For years prior to my joining a gym, I was sure that I was getting enough exercise on my own at home. I wasn't a couch potato. I was busy all the time, going here and there during the week. My job was relatively sedentary. I sat in front of a computer 98% of the time. But on weekends I went out when the weather was nice. Walking, hiking, roller blading etc. Took my kids to the park. Did yard work. Washed the car (in my driveway). Housework.

I thought that I was at least as active as the average person, if not more.

(Activity Calculator)

Strangely, even with all this activity, I was still overweight. 

When I joined the gym; well, I've already explained here in another post, I lost 6" on my waist in the first 8 months. I found muscles!! My energy level increased. I slept better. And my overall mood was happier.

Why?????

Well, its a very simple matter of money and commitment. When you join a gym, you make a commitment, both with your cash and with your time. The cash commitment usually motivates you to keep your time commitment. Paying for something you never or rarely use seems silly. YET, there are many people who do just that!! Bizarre!! I know!!!

Even more common, are those who buy a gym for their home with great intentions that quickly fade to regret. Those home-use treadmills and fancy gizmo gym-in-one contraptions are not cheap!!  You bring it home. Like a proud parent. And the first few months or so, you actually stick to a routine. You plan your workouts and you commit to a schedule. Then something happens. You change jobs. You strain your knee. You meet a new partner. And now your "routine" is changed. So you put off your workouts. Reschedule your visits to your gym. Pretty soon the treadmill you bought is dusty and forgotten, or the membership card to your shiny new gym membership sits lonely on your dresser. Forgotten. Unloved.

HA!!

Only YOU can change your excuses into reasons to keep up your commitment to your exercise routine. You certainly didn't stop eating, or driving, or sleeping or talking when your lifestyle changed. Why would you stop exercising??? As I've said before; think of regular exercise as something that you do, like brushing your hair or vacuuming your house. Its a routine. Its part of your lifestyle. And its here to stay. No excuses!!

Bottom line??

Gym and home workouts are equally valuable. But neither have any value if you are not committed to exercising as part of your everyday/weekly lifestyle.

Home workouts may be more suited to those who:

-prefer privacy

-easily self motivated

-have a hectic and varied work/home schedule

Gym memberships may be more suited to those who:

-enjoy the social aspect of working out

-prefer to meet up with a workout partner to help motivate them

-have a work schedule that allows for some personal time during the week

-like to have a variety of equipment and activities available

-like to have the option of booking a personal training session 

Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Make a commitment to yourself and enjoy your workout.

don't sweat the small stuff......

Todays Workout - First Day of Spring

Wow!! I don't recall a spring this springy ever before!! I mean, 20 Celsius temperatures in mid-March?!? Not complaining, nope, not at all. In keeping with the turn to spring, tomorrow I will present an article about exercise outside of the gym.

Today, I will update you on my current workout routine. This week, I changed up my routine once again. Upon entering the gym, I spend 10 mins on the elliptical. Then I switch over to the treadmill. On the elliptical, my wonderful, patient BF explained to me the proper use of the settings. So now, I set my 10 min elliptical session to a "fat burn" setting. The computer asks you your weight, age and asks you to set the level (fat burn) and the duration (10 mins) The only thing I don't like is that its constantly asking you to check your heart rate. The reason for this is because the computer calculates what your heart rate should be at to achieve the maximum fat burn by using your age and weight. My optimal heart rate for a fat burn workout is 114 beats per minute. It seems a but slow to me, I was used to the overzealous pace I had set for myself previously.    

On the treadmill, I now start off with a 20 min fat burn session, inputting the requested information into the readout. After that, I switch over to a 20 min cardio session. I discovered my optimal heart rate for this is 140 beats per minute. I was able to make it thru the 20 minute cardio session yesterday. Today I didn't. No big deal. I will try again tomorrow. Never beat yourself up because you fail to perform up to some standard you've put out there for yourself. I mean, who is gonna know??? We are all, waaaay tooo hard on ourselves most of the time.

I finished off my workout with 15 mins on various weight machines; arms and legs. And of course, ended with my 10 min stretch.

I will keep this routine for a couple weeks now. Then change it up again. Most advice I've heard and read says you should change up your exercise routine every 3 weeks. The reason being, your body gets used to certain stresses (exercise) and will adjust over time, thus decreasing the actual results you will get from the workout. (weight loss, muscle build, toning etc)

Until tomorrow; don't sweat the small stuff!!

The Belly Fat Challenge: Week #2

To be honest, I've been procrastinating on writing this follow-up post because I know that in order for you to see any progress that I have been making on this challenge, I need to upload a "before" picture!! OMG! NOT my favourite thing.

Have you ever met anyone that says, "I absolutely love what I look like in pictures!!"??? Well, maybe a career model, but other than that I've never met anyone who likes what they look like in a picture. Not only do I have to post a picture of me, but its also a picture of my least favourite body part, my wobbly belly!!! Arrrrrrrgh!!!

So, without further ado, here it is!! (covering my eyes now)

 I'm trying to make this picture really really small, but its as small as it will go. LOL! At least I know I am not alone when comes to what belly's look like in adults over 40. Especially those of us who have had a kid or two. As you can see, I have a fair bit of loose skin and extra fat around my middle. And this is after doing 2 years worth of gym visits!!

Tough to get rid of?? You betcha!!

I am determined to reduce my belly fat by the end of this 15 week challenge. As I mentioned in my About Me page, I have lost 6" on my waist since starting my workouts at a gym. My goal at this point, is to be able to wear a bra top that does not cover my mid-section and be comfortable doing so. That means that I don't want my middle to wiggle. LOL!

This week, my workouts will continue to focus on aerobic exercises; treadmill, elliptical and boxing. These activities will keep my heart rate up and help maximize the fat burn.

How do you burn fat from a specific area on your body???

Well, the fact is you can't. There is no effective way to just burn fat in one area. So, as you continue to workout, what you see is a reduction in fat in all the areas that are known to collect said material. Such as; belly, butt, under upper arms(especially in women), inner and outer thighs and of course your waist.

As you lose fat, you will need to tone the areas that have lost the fat material. This is especially true for those who lost alot of weight. Skin will be loose and the muscles that were covered previously, now need to be toned.

There are tons of great machines at the gym to tone every area of your body. By week 10 of my challenge, I will likely be ready to start some of this toning focus. In the meantime, I do mix in about 10-20mins of light weight and resistance work into my daily workouts after my 30-40min aerobic periods.

I invite you to join me on this challenge; post your before pic and send me your comments, progress reports and ideas for exercises that work for you.

Until then; don't sweat the small stuff 

What Do You want In your Gym Membership??

Today I visited the newly ordained Century Fitness at Upper Wentworth in Hamilton. Did my usual workout thing with a slight twist; I added 10 mins on the elliptical at the beginning of my workout. I still feel bizarro on that machine. Must get my bf to show me how to use this equipment properly. I find the staff here quiet friendly and helpful. I had a few membership questions this morning which they were very helpful with answering.

On to the topic of the day; "What do you want in your Gym Membership"?

With so many choices available, unless you have some previous experience at a gym, most people really aren't sure what they want. The obvious is clean facilities. I don't know how often gyms are inspected or even if that is a norm of the industry, but cleanliness can be a hit or miss thing. Overall, most gyms are reasonably clean. I mean, consider how many people are going in and out of that gym every day! While this is no excuse for a gym that is not clean 24/7, I can imagine it is a full time job requiring several full time staff to manage in order to keep a facility such as this at optimal cleanliness.

The not so obvious features of gym memberships include things like access to multiple locations, all inclusive memberships that include all features of the gym (group classes, main gym, specialized areas such as boxing studio, daycare, saunas, running track and/or lap pool ) Before you sign anything, make sure you ask if ALL the services are included. Some may not be included and its better not to be disappointed later when you find out that the saunas/pool/boxing studio are off-limits to you.

Some gyms also offer specialized services such as fitness tests, medical health exams, fat or cellulite reduction services and procedures, personal trainers and diet programs. Most of these programs require additional fees for the service. Some might be included in your membership as "introductory offers". If your membership includes one of these as an introductory offer, be sure to USE that offer, even if you don't intend to pay for additional services or treatments later. I mean, it is a perk of membership, and its being offered for free so why not give it a try?

Personally, the only additional service I have used so far is the personal training sessions. In my opinion, as a common average person; these personal training sessions are wonderful!! Why? Simply because the one-on-one attention you get from a trainer is a gentle kick-in-the-butt to get you started on your gym membership. A personal trainers job is not only to teach you proper technique on the various equipment at the gym, but also to encourage you to make your trips to the gym a regular part of your lifestyle routine. Just like diets don't work, neither does working out for 3 months before summer then not returning to the gym again until the following spring. Healthy diet and regular exercise are a part of a healthy lifestyle. Which means its just something you do, like combing your hair or taking a shower. But, I've already extrapolated on this topic once before in my posts, so I won't go on too much.

The bottom line is be sure to go in to a gym with a "shopping list" of things you want. Ask questions if you don't understand what the membership includes. And don't, don't, don't sign anything until you have had your 7-10 days trial period. If you live in Ontario, this website has some great tips and also lists and explains your consumer rights with regards to gym memberships. Ontario Ministry of Consumer Services

To the left of your screen, you'll find a quick little poll. I'd love you to take 2 seconds and check off the top two or three features you feel are most important  to you in your gym membership. I will post the results next week.

until then; don't sweat the small stuff

Proper Form on a Treadmill

I just have to talk about this subject. I've watched too many people holding on for dear life on the incline setting, their bodies at a 45 degree angle to the floor. Now, I'm no expert, but I'm thinking that if you were running or walking uphill on a real hill, your body would not be at a 45 degree angle to the ground. Because if it were, you'd probably fall backwards!! (hence why I see people holding on to the bars while at an incline on the treadmill) And then there's this thing called gravity, that tells to pull us downwards in a straight line.........

Of course, I just had to do some research on this, to see if my initial suspicions were correct, or if possibly I was the weirdo at the gym.

First off, the basic form for using a treadmill are generally the same tips found on any site I visited and are as follows: 

1) Posture and spine should be straight, that is at a perpendicular angle to the ground; don't hunch forward, don't lean back

2) Keep head up and looking forward

3) Hold your arms at 90% and at waist level, swing naturally from the shoulders

4) Relax your hands, don't clench your fists

5) swing your arms back and forth not side to side

6) Relax your shoulders and square them up forward to maintain good posture

7) Land in the middle of your foot and roll through to your toes to avoid foot and knee stress

Advice for using the treadmill at an incline:

I found many sites that recommended using an incline to maximize the fat burn of your workout. In general, the advice is to start off slowly, allow 5-10mins for a warm up at a slow speed and low incline and gradually work your speed and incline up. There is no hard fast rule as to what speed or incline works best. What is most important is to watch your heart rate. I try to work towards a heart rate of 140-150. I've found that each time I increase the incline a few degrees, my heart rate response by increasing an additional 10 beats per minute. As everyone is different; age, body shape, weight etc, you will need to experiment to see what is most comfortable for you. When I had a personal trainer, he would be happy when he started to see me sweat. He would say, "NOW you are starting to work!!". So I tend to use that as an indicator to whether I'm pushing hard enough. I find it takes me 15mins on the treadmill before I start to really sweat. So for me, I need at least 30 mins to have an effective workout. A word of caution, if you smoke or have not worked out much before or only visit the gym occasionally, you should see a professional trainer at least once but several times is better. The trainer can help you develop a workout routine that is best suited to your immediate capabilities and needs. Once you have learned the workout, you can use it yourself during your gym visits. After a few months, you probably want to book another session or two with a trainer, to revisit your workout so that you continue to benefit from your efforts.

Again, I have to make sure you understand that I am in no way a professional. I'm just an average person, like you. I know what has been working for me, and I see what other people do in the gym. What works for you is something that only you and your personal trainer can decide.

Finally, above all else, you should truly enjoy your time at the gym. If you hate going to the gym then its not going to work for you. Whatever activity you chose to get your recommended 60mins of daily physical exercise it needs to be something you enjoy doing. Strangely, I never expected to enjoy working out at the gym, but I really do like it and I look forward to my morning work outs every day.

    

Body Mind and Spirit

Today I visited the Upper Wentworth location of Premier/PhysioMed. First thing I noticed was the new sign. Inside I asked about it at the desk and the girl said yes, they are now called Century Fitness. I'm just glad they are still open and operating, the name really doesn't matter.

I kept my visit simple this morning, just a quick session on the treadmill and some stretching. According to the lovely read-out on the treadmill I burned 411 calories and travelled 2.48 miles during my 45 minute session (which also included 5 minutes of a cool down period)

I'd like to venture into another aspect of fitness which is often overlooked by most. There's more to being healthy and fit than just physical exercise and diet. Fitness also encompasses your mental and spiritual state. Worry, fear, stress, general unhappiness all affect your overall health.  Consider the last time you had a cold or flu. Were you feeling miserable before you were sick or only after you became sick?? Think about it, but not too hard.  Chances are when you are feeling worried or stressed you probably also started to feel physical symptoms. Tired, achy, and a general feeling of "blah". As a Canadian, I notice many people around me suffer from the "blah" during the winter months, especially when daylight hours are so short that most people who work rarely see sunlight.

Please note, I'm not a doctor or health professional of any sort, my writings here are just simple personal observations.  For me, getting regular physical exercise, especially in the mornings, really helps my overall sense of well-being. I feel more energized for the day ahead and I feel like I've already accomplished something by getting up early and getting to the gym. So my morning sessions improve both my physical and mental health.

You'll never know until you give it a try!

Paper Towels are a Nice Touch

Todays update is a brief recounting of my visit to Premier Fitness/PhysioMed at Upper James Street in Hamilton.

I was a bit late for my workout today, I had a few meetings this morning, so I decided to re-visit Upper James since I really wanted to use their super nice private showers. I cut my workout a bit short, choosing to do 40 mins of cardio and 10 mins of stretching. I was a bit distracted this morning, and forgot to pack my sweat towel and a bottle of water. Total bummer! I asked someone at the desk if they had towels, he said they don't provide towels. This seems to be a service that is provided by some locations but not all. I can see the disadvantages; extra costs for laundry and the likely possibility of towels not being returned. But the advantages to members is the additional perk of having towels available, if you happen to forget your own.

After my workout on the treadmill, I had difficulty finding paper towels in the section I was in. Both nearby dispensers were empty. I found some on the other side of the upper gym and diligently went about wiping down the treadmill I had been using.

Back downstairs I grabbed my bag and items from my locker and chose one of the nice private shower rooms. The room was quite nice. The shower itself was relatively clean. After I changed I looked for some tp but both dispensers were empty. The paper towel dispenser was also empty as was the soap dispenser for the sink. It was about 11:30am. I was a bit surprised that no one had gone around the gym and changerooms to check on these things. I know when I was a teen and worked for a well-known ice cream and burger place, one of the things we were required to do was check at the beginning and end of our shift to make sure tp, paper towels, napkins and hand soap dispensers were all topped up.

Hopefully next time this small inconvenience will be attended to.

Overall, I had an enjoyable workout and a very nice shower.

Music to Burn Fat By

I am a recent convert to using an MP3 player during my workout sessions. Until about 3 weeks ago, I relied on the music that was projected thru the sound systems at the gyms. But I have found that using your own music has its advantages.

When you rely on the broadcast music at the gym, you might be interrupted with radio babble; especially early in the morning. That tends to throw off my stride while I'm pushing my way up the hill on the treadmill. Honestly, I really have no interest in what so and so did last night in Hollywood at the trendiest club of the night.

So, I invested in a nice pair of wireless headphones and fed my blackberry some of the music I have on my DVD collection. Now, technically my tastes are more along the classic alternative rock styles; but I don't find that musically style especially motivational during my workouts. A sudden burst of Dream On lacks the urgency I need to keep moving. So instead, Ive loaded my BB Bold with selections of Lady Gaga, Madonna and Annie Lennox. Three power pumped divas who seem to have a penchant for amazing vocals and hard hitting beats. Perfect!

BTW; I truly love my wireless headphones. They are bluetooth and I could even receive calls if I wanted to .................. The freedom of wireless cannot be understated when in the gym. Now all I need is an armband to strap my BB to and I'm all set.

What's your favourite music to workout to???

don't sweat the small stuff  

The Belly Fat Challenge - Day One

Well, as you can see from the title of this post, I've decided to really make an effort to bust my belly fat before summer starts. This is not going to be an easy challenge. I'm a 45yr old woman who has had two pregnancies. The odds are stacked against me, my age, my gender and the fact that I still have extra skin on my middle from when I was pregnant. I suppose that's why its called a "challenge", if it was easy it wouldn't be a challenge. It would be a walk in the park, a ray of sunshine, a day at the beach.....you know what I mean!!  Wonder who coined these phrases anyway, not everyday I've spent at the beach has been.....well, a "day at the beach".

Anyway, I've digressed.

Day one workout of the BFC (belly fat challenge) I decided to flip my usual workout upsidedown. This decision was due to what I discovered yesterday about the best workouts to beat belly fat. (check out yesterdays post if you missed it)

I started off with 10 mins on the elliptical. I still think this machine is bizarre. I feel like someone/thing is pulling my arms and legs.  I managed to maintain an average 58rpm during the 10 mins. Then I went over to the treadmill. Normally I would do a gradual increase on this but after my research yesterday, I decided to start off more quickly and intensely. Most of what I found in my research suggested that a more intense cardio component was more effective to burn fat. So I started at 6.5 elevation and 3.5 speed. After 5mins I increased the speed to 3.8. At 10 mins I increased the elevation to 9. Then at 20 mins I increased the elevation to 11. At 30mins I hit the "cool down" button. I have no idea just how accurate the readings are on these machines, but I will tell you at the 25min mark my heart rate was 159. According to the readout, I completed 2.1 miles and burned 326 calories.

Up next in my workout, I wandered over to the weight machines. I did 10 reps on various arm machines, working my pecs, biceps and that wobbly bit that we women have under our upper arms. Charming.  Then I went to find the machines that work my legs. I did about 10-15 reps each of the inner and outer adduction machines. Then about 20 reps on the leg press machine. I was trying to find something where I could do ab exercises, where you raise your legs, rather than crunch in, but I didn't find anything. I will check again tomorrow.

Lastly, I wandered into the aerobics studio and finished my workout with 40 crunches (I place my feet on the wall with my knees bent at 90 degrees) I did 20 side rockers, on each side, left and right and then on my back also.

My final 10 mins was stretching, legs, arms, back and neck.

My plan is to do this workout, and alternate with my boxing working, 4 to 5 days per week until the start of summer, which is Wednesday, June 20, 2012. This gives me 15 weeks to try to decrease my belly fat.   

Diet: Yuck; my least favourite thing to keep track of. Like most people, I like to eat. Its one of the few pleasures in life that anyone from any lifestyle, background or social status can enjoy. Even if you cannot afford lobster and steak (personally I don't care much for lobster) anyone can prepare tasty meals from any combination of fresh, simple ingredients.

I am not going to post every single thing I eat in a day, each and every day over the next 15 weeks. That would simply make me crazy!!!! And likely bore you  to tears!!! Instead, I will post a summary of the highlights and the epic fails (like indulging in 2 sour cream dipped donuts).

This morning; I made myself a breakfast burrito. Using the food information on the packaging of the ingredients I used and information I found on the internet, my estimate of the total food value of my breakfast, including one cup of frozen prepared juice beverage is as follows:

Calories: 668

Fat: 26.5 grams

Protein: 23.3 grams

Sugars: 31.7 grams

I used this website to determined an estimate of the food value for my breakfast (and I also used the label information for foods that were labeled; like the tortilla)

Here are the ingredients for my burrito:

1 large white tortilla

2 large eggs

2 tsp canola oil

1 brown mushroom

1tbsp chopped leek

1tbsp canned tomato, diced, no salt added

3tbsp grated marble cheese

1 /3 cup chopped iceberg lettuce

So now on to the days to do list.

Until tomorrow, don't sweat the small stuff

The Skinny on Belly Fat: Part Two - Diet

What? Did you think I was just gonna discuss exercise and NOT diet? Gosh no! Everyone knows that a healthy lifestyle comprises of regular exercise and healthy eating. The tough part for everyone is to maintain that attitude and practice, FOREVER! Yep, you can't just "diet" or decide to exercise every so often. It needs to be a part of your lifestyle, just like waking up and going to work everyday; exercise and diet are an integral part of your daily life. "Diets" don't work. And exercising in the spring so you can fit into your two piece bathing suit this summer is fine and dandy, but if you make it a part of your everyday life, then you don't have to stress every spring. Make sense?

Again, I did some research and came up with some common sense dietary approaches to fighting belly fat:

I liked this site because it offered some very common food suggestions for diet.

Quick and Simple   

Oatmeal – not instant

Almonds and other nuts - Small quantities per day

Protein Powder – Contains amino acids that burn fat and build muscle, add to all natural fruit only smoothies

Olive and Canola Oil

Berries – fresh is best, canned fruit tends to be over processed and contain way too much sugar

Eggs – Contain vitamin B12 which your body needs to metabolize fat.

Beans and Legumes – Packed with protein and fibre.

Lean Meats and Fish – fish is best,  or lean cuts of meat

Whole Grains -  100% whole grain, keep away from instant rice which has little food value

Low Fat All Natural Peanut Butter - PB is packed with niacin, which keeps the digestive system on track and prevents belly bloat.

Green vegetables -  Did you know that iceberg lettuce contains almost no fibre?? Choose leafy vegetable like spinach, arugula or romaine instead.

Dairy – choose low fat or fat-free  dairy products

Avocados

Tea – Especially green tea which is loaded with antioxidants which speed up metabolism

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese – High in protein

Cannellini beans – Contain resistant starch that resists digestion, thereby digesting slower and burning more calories during the process. Who knew?  

The interesting thing I discovered here, is that most of this I already include in my diet. For breakfast, I usually have a couple soft-boiled eggs with whole grain toast. Oatmeal is great for a before bed snack, at least I think so. I love berries and try to have them in my fridge whenever they are affordable. I like beans in chili and I love lentil salad. Fish is awesome, I tend to only buy when its on sale though because its darned expensive otherwise. Drinking tea has become my new beverage of choice. Green tea is nice, but I've discovered so many other variety's out there, like berry flavoured teas. I've started experimenting more with these and can't wait for summer to brew up some strawberry tea for sipping with ice.  I think my weakest link here is dairy. Like alot of adults I know, milk is not my stomachs favourite food, so I tend to choose yogurt or cheese instead.

When searching for more general information on diet, I found most sites recommend diets that emphasis lean protein and low GI carbs (such as fruits, vegetables and high fibre/whole grains). The true revelation here? None really, this is the type of diet that is recommended for optimal health regardless of what your goal(s) are. The hard truth is food alone cannot and will not affect your overall health. A common sense balance of diet and exercise is what is most recommended.

Does that mean never eating cake, cookies, chips or chocolate ever again? Gosh no, but when you do, limit your intake to a very small portion. You will satisfy your craving and not add on needless fat and sugar to your body. Everything in moderation, right?

The key here is to be aware that your daily caloric intake should not exceed your daily caloric usage. So, if you just burned 400 calories on the treadmill, you probably don't want to go out and kill that effort by wolfing down a fast food burger.

But that's just common sense right?

As part of my belly fat fight, I am going to continue with my usual diet and I will let you know how that goes.

In the meantime; don't sweat the small stuff  

The Skinny on Belly Fat Burn

As promised, I have gathered some info regarding the best and most recommended ways to burn belly fat. In this article, you will find links to the sites where I've found the information/advice. As with anything you read, always consider the source. I am in no way an expert or professional. I am just like you. A common average person with common average belly fat.

Now on to the skinny:

It seems that the 160 crunches I do at the start of my work out are all for naught; "...the amount of calories you spend doing exercises like crunches and sit-ups just isn’t enough to make much of a difference to the appearance of your waist and stomach.

Developing your abdominal muscles is relatively easy. The hard part is getting your body fat low enough so that you can see them." from Beat my Belly fat

The concensus seems to be that a workout that combines high intensity cardio with resistance training is your best bet to burn fat.

Here's an interesting snippet; "...  don't think that you only need to work on your abs. This is another grave misconception. The truth is that when you work all the larger muscle groups, adding more mass to your muscles, you rev up your metabolism to heights it has never before reached. Your muscles need extra calories to maintain themselves, so more of the food you eat will be feeding your muscles instead of your trouble spots. Your conditioned heart (from the cardiovascular stuff) is more effective at burning calories as well, so you have the golden combination there. As the fat comes off your body, it will come off your belly. Your body fat is like one organ, located throughout your body, and you can't take it off of just one spot unless you have liposuction done. The large muscles that you should concentrate on are (in this order):

1. Front and back of thighs
2. Buttocks
3. Back
4. Chest
5. Triceps and biceps
6. Calves
7. Hips
8. Forearms
9. Shoulders

Always work your abs at the end of your workout. There's a good reason for this. You are indirectly using them for all the other exercises you do.
The abs are important stabilizer muscles that keep your form in check. If you do abs first, you will tire them out, and your whole workout will be less than optimal. Work down from the largest to the smallest muscles."
from Body Building.com

So it seems I've been totally doing this wrong!! No problem, I am going to adjust my mis-informed routine and follow the advice I found. This same site also mentioned that the abdominal muscle called the transversus abdominis, "... located at your sides, below the obliques. Often called "lower abs", this is the muscle that women who are trying to lose the belly after pregnancy should concentrate on. Exercises that call for raising the legs instead of the upper body are very effective at strengthening the transversus."

This site also recommends walking, weight training and yoga to reduce belly fat and tone your abs.

I found loads of other sites and recommendations. What I chose to include here were ideas and suggestions that were most commonly found on all the sites I visited. What I chose to not include were recommendations from sites that were directly sponsored by a particular product or company.

Well, I'm gonna try these new ideas, and track my progress here. Hopefully by summer I will have some improvement to show you.

don't sweat the small stuff

Todays Work-Out update

So as mentioned, I've been a gym guru now for about 2 years. I started with 30mins of boxing activities and exercises, and this winter I've added 20mins of weight machines and 30-40mins of cardio on the treadmill.

I've been doing the cardio for about 5 weeks now and I really expected to see more results than what I see. My belly is still jelly. Not happy about that. Maybe it takes longer?? I dunno really. I'm going to do some internet research later today and post my findings. Maybe theres something I'm missing.

I'm also considering booking more personal training sessions to kick-start my new work-out routine. The idea being that a professional will probably know what I need to do to get the results I want. I will let you know how that works out, when I decided to take this step.

So today I went to the Upper Wentworth Premier gym. I wanted to try out their boxing studio as I have not done this previously. I got the key at the front desk. It was attached to a 3 foot wooden plank, a 1X6 I think would be the term. LOL!!

I dragged it upstairs and got access to the studio. The studio is packed with lots of bags, all various sizes. They had a generous supply of gloves, I have my own so I didn't need to use theirs. In the center back of the studio is a small boxing ring, kinda cool, but not something I would use. I could never actually hit anyone, I just like the feeling of tension release when hitting the bag during a workout. One thing missing was a speed bag.

After about 20mins in the boxing studio, I locked up and brought the planked key back to the desk. I decided to try an eliptical. I'd never tried these before. I spent 5 mins on this. I found it felt odd to have my arms moving strangely while my feet were seeming to climb upwards. I could really feel my upper thighs start to burn so I kept it to a modest 5 min trial.

After the eliptical, I went over to the treadmills and did my usual 30mins.

One thing I've noticed since going to the gym, is that only a small percentage of members warm down or stretch after their workout. As I was a competitive figure skater in my youth, I was taught early on the importance of a proper warm down and stretch after each training session. Stretching after a workout is especially good, because the muscles are warm and will respond to a nice slow stretch. This lengthens the muscle and when you cool down, you don't feel knotted and sore. I usually spend a good 10 mins stretching my arms, legs and back after my workout.

Tomorrow,  I may check out another gym and post my findings here for you.

Until then, don't sweat the small stuff!

Premier Fitness/PhysioMed Upper James Hamilton

I visited the Upper James facility on Friday last week. Again I was there around 8am.  Click here to view a map of the facilities

Please note this map indicates a pool, in actuality the area shown as the pool is the womens only and aerobics area.

Customer Service

When I arrived I noticed no one was attending the front desk. Again, this desk is quite expansive. I used the card scanner for my card and when thru the gate.

Staff

There was a staff member in the womens changeroom. She was cleaning and said good morning to me as I entered. When I went upstairs to the main gym I found three personal trainers busy with sessions. I checked again on the front desk, and now there were two staff members attending. Overall, everyone seemed very happy to be there.  

Changerooms

The changerooms at this location are very cool. Although I didn't like the lockers themselves as they were outdated, many were dented and in need of repainting. The changeroom itself was really nice. Lots of mirrors. Lots of privacy with the locker areas divided into nooks. The washroom facilities were totally cool! Each was its own room with sink and toilet. The showers had a public-type area, similar to most other gyms I've been in, but there were also about 4 private shower rooms. Each room had a sink, toilet and shower. This type of setup allows for total privacy. For those of you who are shy about changing and showering in a public facility, this type of setup is ideal. Overall, the changerooms were quite clean.   

Classes

The aerobic studio is part of the womens only area and is adjacent to the womens changeroom. I used this area to warm up. I found the floor in the studio was a bit gritty, the floor itself needed a re-finishing done to it. There was not a class running while I was there and I did not see any schedules posted. 

Personal Trainers

As mentioned earlier, there were 3 PT at this gym at 8am on a Friday. Kudos to them!! They seemed to have a good repoire with their clients and were totally focused on their job.

Hours & Parking

This location is open:

Mon - Thurs Fri Sat Sun

5am - 11pm 5am - 10pm 8am - 6pm 8am - 6pm

Parking is shared at this location. I could see the building from Upper James street, it is inset quite a ways back from United Furniture Warehouse and Eastside Marios. You will need to enter at the Furniture Warehouse entrance and follow the driveway all the way to the back to find the building and parking. There is also parking further behind the building.

Special Features

I did not see any unique features at this location, no pool and no boxing studio. However, the changerooms did have individual sauna rooms. Another feature which I have only seen at this location thus far is that the aerobic machines; treadmills and elipticals are high-end equipment each sporting its own TV screen which you can watch programs or listen to music. There was a place to plug in headphones if desired. Some members will probably appreciate this type of added feature. I might be weird in that I actually like to look around a bit while I'm on the treadmill, and found the screens were in the way. But thats just me!   

Overall

Overall, my first impression of this location was favourable. I felt the gym was well kept and provided some unique and personal features that would appeal to many members. The equipment seemed to be well maintained, something that I am finding many gyms are not so good at. The atmosphere was bright and airy. Again the large windows at the front of the building are great for allowing in natural light and giving the gym a bright glow.

I would definitely go back to this gym again. 

As always, I welcome all comments, suggestions and ideas

don't sweat the small stuff