Blast from the past - funny workout videos

Oh my God. I started doing classes in the late 80s. I was around for much of what you're going to see below. I had the body suit that went up my but and that matching stretch belt, plus the leg warmers. Can you say 'hot'? My how times have changed. If you want a good chuckle and need to lighten up a bit, watch these videos! LOL fo sho.

First we've got Jazzercize. This woman is freakin' hilarious! Classic quote from vid 'Don't you know how to get loose by now"



Then we've got the classic Jane Fonda video. Got to love the spandex.



The the semi-pornographic 20 minute workout. I'm sure these women provided loads of entertainment for suburban repressed males.



This one is Billy Banks Taebo. Check out the outfit that exposes his nipples. Yum.



Adorable Richard Simmons. Could he be credited for this whole group fitness thing? Love the remix of "Walk it out". Check it out.




Last but not least we've got the early pole dancing video. WTF? Are they working out here?

Just take the cake for God's sake

Most people can relate to work being a hot bed of food eating issues. You've got the co-worker who can be saboteur of your best laid healthy eating plans tempting you with whatever they baked at home. You've got the join the group in crap food or don't fit in thing. And the classic, the birthday party piece of often store bought birthday cake that really isn't that good to begin with.

Ever been at yet another office birthday party or celebration and get shit for not taking a piece of cake. Well one of my clients relatively new to a company just told me the story of the big cake refusal drama. She refused cake and a beer at work today and people made a HUGE stink about it. It's just cake for goodness sakes. Or is it just cake. Maybe refusing the cake is a way of rejecting being a part of the group. Maybe the cake is like the corporate kool aid. Failing to take the kool aid marks you. Does she really want to be a part of the 'community' we're trying to build here.



The Urban Warrior group tonight brainstormed about strategies on how to deal with the totally unnecessary peer pressure and empty calories associated with the piece of cake and came up with some awesome strategies I thought many of you would love to hear:

1) Take the cake. Don't refuse it. Take a couple bites and throw out the rest when people aren't looking.

2) Take the cake and hold it for a while. Then when you go back to your desk, take it with you and say you're going to eat it there. Then ditch it discretely.

3) Don't take the cake and explain that you've invested a lot of time and money into yourself but if they provided a fruit tray next time they could totally count you in.

4) Don't take the cake and explain how hard you've been working out and that given how much suffering you're putting into your workouts, you don't want to have it be for nothing. Even invite them along with you so that they can be the one refusing this time.

The cake refusal is the big deal in all of this though. The act of accepting it alone will let you off the hook most of the time. The eating of the cake isn't such a big deal. If you don't draw attention to yourself in the first place, you won't get marked as the non kool aid drinker. If you're discreet and politely accept the offering, you'll still be seen as participating in whatever celebration is happening. Simple and smart ideas. Love those Urban Warriors.

Me and My Supercycle

Tonight I picked up two Supercycle bikes: one from a friend for my daughter as a hand me down and my lovely bike after it's annual tune up that's coming in now at about 35 years old, almost as old as me.

Last weekend we hunted for a used bike and had a harder time than I thought we would. Seems bike stores don't really carry used kids' bikes because, by the time they get them road ready, they really can't make a profit. We came close to finding the perfect bike at Cycle Mania on Bloor, a 40 year old Czech bike just a bit too big. I try to avoid buying things that are shiny and nice who's possession will lead to more stuff in a land fill. The shiny $100 bikes at Walmart are seductive but after explaining this whole concept to my daughter she was totally game for finding a used bike. Love it. Luckily my friend was there to pass down the perfect bike in the end and so will begin a summer of trying to learn to ride without training wheels. She has free reign to design at will, stickers, paint whatever she likes.

Some advice I've gotten is to start on a slight downward slope (I assume grassy) and let go allowing for the feet to dangle. This would be an exercise in building the ability to balance. Anybody, with great tips on how to teach kids to ride bikes, please send them along. I'm thinking on top of a helmet, elbow pads and knee pads might be a must.

And now let's turn to my beaten up, rusty, rattling 1970s Supercycle. I picked it up over 8 years ago when I was visiting a friend's cottage. It was just sitting outside a second hand store in quaint little town. It was love at first sight and it's been my cruising bike ever since. I invest a little bit each year in getting it tuned up, in fact $53 today. My new favourite bike store is Riders at 80 Geary at Dovercourt. They are so into putting love into old bikes like mine. They would never encourage you to toss a bike to upgrade and never game me the look of "why are you still riding this piece of junk?".

My bike and I have history. Now the question is can I get Maggie my pooch to run beside me on the leash without yanking me over at the site of old gum or barf (yes she eats barf sometimes). She needs her sweat sessions too.

I also promised you my friend's Foxy Lara Bar recipe. Amanda Thebe at foxyburd.blogspot.com has posted her recipe today. So yummy. I LOVE them.

I love the man who wants to kill crunches

I can get a sense of personal trainers' knowledge about effective and safe core training with one simple test: do they include crunches in clients' program or in a class environment?

Whenever I try out new classes, watch fitness experts on TV, read fitness articles, if the crunch is there I know they haven't been following the #1 expert in spine biomechanics, Dr. Stuart McGill. If any fitness experts are reading this and don't know this name, it's time to familiarize yourselves with his work to get yourselves up to date.

I've heard him speak at conferences and even got to shake his hand once. Now Dr. McGill is going mainstream. In January 2010 Macleans published an article about him. Maybe personal training certifying organizations are going to start including his research so that the crunch will die die die.


Here's a short excerpt from the article:

After three decades of figuring how out the spine works, Stuart McGill has come to loathe sit-ups. It doesn’t matter whether they are the full sit-ups beloved by military trainers or the crunch versions so ubiquitous in gyms. “What happens when you perform a sit-up?” he asks. “The spine is flexed into the position at which it damages sooner.”

The professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo knows a thing or two about snapping spines. In his lab, McGill proudly shows off a machine that’s probably created more disc herniations than any other in the world. “We get real [pig] spines from the butcher and we compress them, shear them and bend them to simulate activities such as golf swings and sit-ups, and watch as unique patterns of injury emerge.” A disc has a ring around it, and the middle, the nucleus, is filled with a mucus-like liquid. Do a sit-up and the spine’s compression will squeeze the nucleus. On his computer, McGill shows how the nucleus can work its way out of the disc, hit a nerve root and cause that oh-so-familiar back pain. “From observing the way your total gym routine is performed, we can predict the type of disc damage you’re eventually going to have.”

I try to explain to my clients why crunches aren't functional. 95% of the population is in a slight forward head posture and in a permanent forward flexion position in the upper body. That means that the muscle fibres in the upper abs are dominant. A crunch emphasizes these muscle fibres that are already too strong in relation to the rest of the muscles in the torso. Furthermore, the crunch strengthens us even further into the posture we should be trying to correct. So not only are crunches bad for our backs but they also can make our posture worse by rounding us forward even more. Make sense? Aren't we constantly trying to stand up straighter instead of slouch? Why would we do a repetitive movement, sometimes even with extra weight, that is basically a lying down slouch?


When thinking about fixing alignment, posture and structural imbalances, we are trying to hit the muscles that are dormant and underdeveloped. Hey I'm not saying I'm innocent. I used to do crunches til the cows came home. But I try to maintain my curiosity and drive to constantly improve my knowledge and I ditched crunches years ago.

My go to exercises for developing core strength are the same as the ones Dr. McGill recommends because he's the man, the man who wants to kill crunches. But once I know people's cores have sound functional strength, we can really start playing around with core exercises that will blow your mind.

So next time you're interviewing a personal trainer, ask them one question to get a sense for their knowledge of proper core training, "are we going to do crunches?" If they say yes, especially if you have back problems, run away.

Jane Clapp

My critique of TV Host Steven Sabados' workouts

I always love checking out the Globe and Mail's workout critiques. This week it was Steven Sabados' turn. I critique the critiques and thought instead of just leaving disturbingly long comments on the Globe and Mail site, I might as well put them on my blog. A little obsessed, yes. But I love finding out how other people would approach a challenge. I'm looking to open my mind to new ideas, confirm my current strategies or at the very least, peak inside the fitness approaches of the generally higher profile folks the Globe and Mail includes in their critique column.

Instead of copying and pasting the Globe article in my blog, I suggest you go and read it. Then my critique will at the very least have a context.

The questions I would ask him that weren't addressed in the article are:
1) How are you sleeping? Without proper sleep, he'll never get anywhere.
2) How many drinks do you have per week? I see loads of people in media and entertainment. This is normally something to work on.
3) What's your caffeine intake and when do you have your last caffeinated beverage in the day? He should be looking at the potential impact caffeine is having on his sleep and adrenals.
4) What does your naturopath say about what's going on with your general fatigue? This information would impact the type of fitness activities that are best for him at this point in time.
5) Why are you eating corn pasta? Hasn't he read Fast Food Nation or watched Food Inc.? Hello belly fat.

So here goes...

Great advice from the expert they sourced (Jason Crandell, Yoga instructor) in terms of including restorative activities in Steven's fitness plan. Steven is clearly starting to get burned out. What got him here and what kind of big picture paradigms or priorities does he need to readjust?

Just doing yoga isn't going to fit with Steven's goals. He's has to look great on camera and stay lean. At the age of 45 Steven can't stop strength training. People naturally get softer as they get older due to loss of lean body mass unless they fight the muscle atrophy that is very unforgiving in a very short period of time once middle age hits. Restorative yoga is going to help chill him out but it WILL NOT keep his metabolism healthy.

Steven should complete two to three (depending on how busy he is) properly designed full body strength workouts each week, not random ineffective workouts he's mentioned in the article. He could be totally wasting his precious time at the gym without any strategy. Again, the only way he'll be able to keep the fat off is to keep his metabolism in high gear with lean body mass. Muscle is the fountain of youth. Then he should ensure he does activities after his strength work that bring his nervous system down (some yin yoga postures, myofascial release with physio rolls, fascial stretch therapy). He's operating in his sympathetic nervous system all day so he needs to ensure his body knows how to calm itself again after an intense workout or before bed. Including a restorative yoga class every week would help.
Steven needs to stop working out to work off bad eating. Knowing you can just go "work it off" will promote gluttony. He also needs to get off the idea that the amount of time spent at a gym will directly impact results. That's so yesterday Steven! It's the effort you put in that counts the most (AKA high efficiency training is where it's at). Your rep range per set should be around 10-12 in general if you're only getting two strength workouts per week. The high rep to stay lean is so Tracy Anderson if that's what you are doing.

Steven has worked with a trainer in the past. I'd say now is the time to find a trainer who appreciates that fitness is holistic.
Since Steven's looks (not just his brains and charm) are his money maker, an investment in his health via a personal trainer isn't something he can skimp on. He's got to get on making holistic fitness a priority before it's too late.

Steven needs a flexible plan given his unpredictable work schedule. But Steven is just like most people who say they can't commit to a regular fitness plan. Sorry Steven, but you're just like most people on this front. Everyone is tight for time. Everyone, to varying degrees, has unpredictable schedules. But you're not 30 anymore. Once people turn 45, things can start changing quickly without proper attention.

That was fun. Thanks to the Globe and Mail and Steven for the inspiring content.

Jane Clapp
Urbanfitt

The Women of Badogo Say Thank You

Sometimes we need to put our quest for a nice tush or flat stomach in perspective. This post is from Jamie Piekarz, an urban warrior making an impact in a far corner of the planet through the organization Arudmo

Here's a thank you from Jamie to all the people at Urbanfitt who contributed goods or donated funds.

"I am recently back from three weeks in Mali. The trip was heart-warming, heart-breaking and most of all, inspiring. Here's a link to pictures taken during my visit and a description of how your donations were used, as decided by the villagers. I want to thank you once again for your kindness. You can’t imagine how incredibly grateful and surprised that the women of Badogo were to know that people miles away would even think about them. This was the greatest gift of all.

The next step for the region I visited is to find a short internship in Canada for the project manager of the woman’s association, Niogo Salimata, a dynamic young woman who is currently completing her Social Work degree and Master’s degree in English in the capital city of Mali, Bamako. By honing her skills in these area she will be better prepared for the advocacy of women’s rights in Mali and helping women in the poorest areas of her country. As well, the organization I was working for, Arudmo (www.arudmo.org), is looking into setting up micro-loans for the women in the villages.

In contrast to other regions in Mali, the women of southern Mali do all the work for their families and community. They collect firewood for cooking, pound the grains for hours on end to prepare food, raise the children, tend the gardens and much more. In the small village of Badogo, where I lived, there was a well that was basically a hole in the ground about 20 feet deep. For four hours a day, the women dropped buckets into the well and hauled them out by hand to water the crops. Your donations allowed the village to purchase a pump for the well (in 2 of the photos above), which will greatly reduce the number of hours and the number of women required to water the crops. As well, money was put towards fixing the broken mills. This will also free up more time for the women and girls who, daily, spend hours beating grains.

The other donations of material goods and medicine will also make the lives of the women there a little bit easier. You cannot imagine how grateful the women of the small village of Badogo are- not only for the gifts but also for the imagination and goodwill you had to think of them and show compassion for their lives. They have all extended their warmest wishes to you and they invite you to visit them whenever you can. You will be welcomed with open arms and loads of warmth and generosity.

If any of you would like to volunteer in the area, please feel free to contact me (Jamie). You will find it an amazing and humbling experience. Jamie.Piekarz@corusent.com"

Too tired for sex? Join the club

About one in every four Americans married or living with someone say they are so sleep-deprived that they are often too tired to have sex, according to a new study by the National Sleep Foundation. Lack of sleep also keeps many people from work and family functions, the report said. Maybe the good old, "I have a headache or I'm wiped" isn't such an excuse after all.

Ironic that I'm writing this blog post when I should be sleeping. According the the National Sleep Foundation this is the average amount of sleep we need depending on age:



Here are some guidelines for getting enough sleep:

To pave the way for better sleep, experts recommend that you and your family members follow these sleep tips. And this is how I measure up:

1) Establish consistent sleep and wake schedules, even on weekends - I fail on this one. I might be living on the edge but I stay up late watching the occasional movie on a Saturday night. whoohoo!
2) Create a regular, relaxing bedtime routine such as soaking in a hot bath or listening to soothing music – begin an hour or more before the time you expect to fall asleep - I shut things down early apart from writing this blog post
3) Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet, comfortable and cool - I sleep in a cave with dark curtains
4) Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex (keep "sleep stealers" out of the bedroom – avoid watching TV, using a computer or reading in bed) - oops again I'm writing this in bed with the Simpsons in the background. I suck
5) Finish eating at least 2-3 hours before your regular bedtime - don't agree with this one. I will wake up if I'm hungry. I eat when I'm hungry just not crap before bed unless it's chocolate and I really need a bit
6) Exercise regularly during the day or at least a few hours before bedtime - agreed intense exercise close to bed can mess you up. That's why you've got to spend some time bringing yourself down after a hard workout. We do this at UF
7) Avoid caffeine and alcohol products close to bedtime and give up smoking - oops. Again just finished a wee glass of wine at 9:30. But I don't have caffeine after 12 unless it's super weak Earl Grey tea.
8) Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows - check. I have the brick bill to show for the recent mattress purchase.

I could stay up even later writing a super long blog post about the importance of sleep. There's so much information out there. If you're having problems sleeping, don't let it slide. Bug your doc. Find a solution. Sleep deprivation has been linked to a number of serious health problems, including obesity. Life gets hard to manage with too little sleep no?

People who are chronically sleep-deprived also can experience attention lapses, memory loss and other difficulties that can impair performance on the job, says James Walsh, executive director of the sleep medicine and research center at St. Luke's Hospital in St. Louis.

Surveys suggest Americans get about 6½ hours of sleep a night — about an hour less than the average in the 1950s, he says. Today, many adults extend their workdays by using cellphones to check e-mail messages.

But if lack of sleep is interfering with a little vavoom in your life, then maybe it's time to give up Glee, American Idol or Facebooking with acquaintances. Sleep more, sex more, tv less and surf less. It's simple. Plus you'll burn more calories, especially if you're not half asleep when you shag.

One simple tip for keeping kids lunches healthy

Jamie Oliver is a hero. And people who get behind him without any direct benefit, are amazing.
Karen Humphrey's, a blogger from the West Coast, started making his twitter stuff go viral.

"Ms. Humphrey, a working mother of a 14-year-old son, created Food Revolution Fridays: a digital extension of Mr. Oliver’s mission that has won his approval.

Every Friday, Ms. Humphrey writes about a healthy meal she made for her family at cookienotes.blogspot.com. Dozens of others do the same, replacing sodium-rich pizza delivery with Mr. Oliver’s broccoli salad and crunchy garlic chicken."

I've been hanging with some of the wonderful mamas from my daughter's school. Every time I'm out with them, we end up talking about what we're feeding our kids. We turn to each other for advice or little bits of comfort that we're doing the right thing by them.

Before school started last September, I started my search for the perfect lunch bag. I caught wind of the bento box lunch kit. It peaked my interest because Japanese food is one of our favourite eating out things to do. We always order a bento box and share.

So I thought getting a lunch system that would allow for several small containers for multiple food groups would be a great way to ensure my daughter didn't end up pulling one thing out of a lunch bag and forgetting about the other good stuff I packed. It also keeps me disciplined in the way I pack her lunch. There are four containers, one for a veggie, one for a fruit, one for a substantial and a third with a little 'treat' she's allowed to eat if she eats the rest. And since each container is small, it doesn't allow me to over pack food which can serve to overwhelm kids.

The main benefit for the bento box lunch kit is that I can't put prepackaged foods in it. They just don't fit. This means she doesn't get processed foods in her lunch ( not that I needed a lunch kit to stop me from doing this). She also comes home with virtually no garbage, Love it!

The bento box lunch kit isn't cheap but it's durable. The plastic is safe and it's easy for me to measure out portions and then immediately see how she ate when we get home. I also include her in choosing what we put in her lunch so I know she's agreed to eat whatever I've packed. One less reason for her to not eat well. Just like Karen Humphrey's, I don't pack traditional lunch things. She gets leftovers from dinner, soup, you name it and she doesn't look at lunch food and dinner food as being anything different. She knows she always have to have a veggie with lunch. Those are just the rules.

Karen Humphrey adds in a Globe and Mail article from today:
"I’ve absolutely seen a change in kids when they have a healthy lunch because I work for a school district. I’ve seen kids – their energy is so much better, they’re calmer, they do better in school when they’ve had healthy food to eat."

If you have any fool proof tips for other parents out there, post 'em! We can all help each other make the job of keeping our kids healthy easier by sharing information.

Marisa Tomei's New Workout DVD

On my regular morning scour through new health and fitness info, I came across a Globe and Mail article "How Marisa Tomei got her smoking hot bod"

She's a former dancer and as far as I can remember, she's always had a smokin' hot bod. Do any of you remember her never looking great? Name a film where she was flabby.

Many of my friends and acquaintances are or have been dancers, not the exotic kind, the legit kind. They are merely in a constant state of maintenance of what has always been and will always be compact, muscular bodies. So when a celebrity comes out with a workout DVD hawking a method they claim to have gotten them their hot bod', I think when did this so called makeover happen?

Think about all the celeb workout DVDs where smokin hot celebs claim this new workout method or regimen has been the 'thing' that has gotten them what has always been six pack abs or 'toned' arms. I would be more likely to buy a workout DVD from a once obese celeb that has been able to turn their body around with a new method or celeb savvy trainer. Think about it for a second. Where's the so called magical transformation?

Always, it's better to do something than nothing and anyone who starts any kind of workout regimen is going to see results in the short term.

The DVD opens with an explanation from Ms. Tomei and Key Son, her New York trainer. The routine “moulds and sculpts the body, improves the cardiovascular system, decreases body fat and strengthens the core,” Mr. Son says. Best of all, she joins in: “No weights!” Instead, they use a resistance loop to add challenge to the circuit training.

AH!!! I'm going to lose it if one more celeb is anti weights. OMG!


"The workout itself is divided into three parts: body definition, best legs and 10 moves in 10. But the most appealing aspect is that they're not talking to us but doing their own thing. The viewer is like a voyeur to Ms. Tomei's personal training session."

Where's the progression here? How does this system allow for continual progression and improvement?
Hello plateau within a few weeks.

“I certainly know I'm not a trainer,” the Oscar-winning actress says later in a phone interview from L.A. “I'm not the one with the knowledge and so thought I would be the guinea pig and ask questions.”

No Marisa. You're the one bank rolling this or at least on the books so you benefit from sales.

"Speaking of toes, she's barefoot the entire time. “I always have my shoes off in the house anyway,” she tells me. “But then Key mentioned it's good for balance and the muscles in the feet and it burns more calories.”

What? Being barefoot burns more calories? Show me the science please. Yes there's benefits to barefoot training but this ain't one of them and if it's true it's marginal.


So use some logic when it comes to investing in new workout stuff. Stop, think and then spend.

And for goodness sakes, start lifting some weights!

Jane Clapp

I'm skinny mommy - no it's just your body type

This is what I woke up to as my daughter sucked her tummy in lying beside me and showed me her ribs. It's been something she's been saying for a few months now. My response is often, 'No you're perfect". Or "it's just your body type. Some people are shorter and a little bigger. Some people are taller and smaller."

Then she says again, "No mommy. I'm skinny." Then I'll say, "Don't worry babe. You're healthy. You eat a lot of healthy food. Your mommy and daddy and tall and thin." And then once she even said "my friends said I'm skinny".

I don't talk about my body much. I never complain about being too skinny or too fat. I don't obsess about food. I indulge in treats with her. I don't even have a scale at home. She never sees me weigh myself. It's weird. She hasn't gotten this "I'm skinny" thing from me. She often comes to work with me and we talk about being strong and building muscle jokingly. That's about as far as any conversation about body goes. So where did she learn that she's skinny?

At school of course. Kids at school obviously talk about their bodies. But I think it's more. I think body image obsession is infiltrating our daily life through images, words (radio).

This morning I came across an article in the NYT titled "The Fat Trap".

"By the time my own daughter was born, I realized that avoiding conversations about food, health and body image would be impossible: what I didn’t say would speak as loudly as anything I did. So rather than opt out, I decided to actively model something different, something saner. I’ve tried to forget all I once knew about calories, carbs, fat and protein; I haven’t stepped on a scale in seven years. At dinner I pointedly enjoy what I eat, whether it’s steamed broccoli or pecan pie. I don’t fetishize food or indulge in foodieism. I exercise because it feels good, and I never, ever talk about weight. Honestly? It feels entirely unnatural, this studied unconcern, and it forces me to be more vigilant than ever about what goes in and what comes out of my mouth. Maybe my daughter senses that, but this conscious antidiet is the best I can do.

Still, my daughter lives in the world. She watches Disney movies. She plays with Barbies. So although I was saddened, I was hardly surprised one day when, at 6 years old, she looked at me, frowned and said, “Mama, don’t get f-a-t, O.K.?”

So many women I work with can recite conversations they had with their mothers about weight even it they took place decades ago. I just hope I'm saying the right thing and that I'm supporting my girl in feeling great just the way she is.

Bohmer review

The most recent hot spot on Ossington can be universally named as Union, until Bohmer , 93 Ossington, opened its doors last month.

One of my favourite things to do with my best female gals is to go try new restos in T.O that meet with our criteria: interesting, not over-produced, food focused and the only cheese in the place can be edible. Tonight we had a girl's date and named our next 'try out' hot spot, Bohmer. I read up a bit about Bohmer online last night and knew we were in for a food fiesta of pleasure.

We arrived and ordered a bottle of the Chilean Viognier ($34 a bottle, BTW there WAS 3 of us). The wine was excellent value. A full bodied white chilled to perfection poured into a legit white wine glass.

I picked the best two gals to go out with, two foodies who like to share. We ordered two starters, the foie gras and the beet salad. The first bite of the beet salad blasted my taste buds into heaven. I don't normally go for foie gras but it literally fell apart in my mouth. If you got to Bohmer, you have to order this..

Then we ordered three mains to share. The scallops, beef, and the veal cheeks (this one has been written about. I don't normally dig veal cheeks but I thought what we ought to try it given what I read). Another food-gasm came with each new taste. We rotated the mains around and each brought on a whole new set of flavours. I think Bohmer might have out done Foxley as my new go to guarantee pleasure restaurant. The room was totally up my alley as well, not over done like Spice Route style, amazing light fixtures, minimalist walls, bathrooms. I always notice the music in a restaurant. They need to get someone on that a bit to make sure the tunes jive with the rest of the vibe.

The mains were around $30, the starters around $15. Between three of us, we shared two bottles of vino, 2 starters and 3 mains and spent $80 each with 20% tip. It was worth it if you're really into food. The service was unpretentious but totally on. We sat at the beautiful bar and were served by a woman totally into wine and food who rejoiced in observing our delight. The rest of the staff didn't have pickles up their asses like so many hot spots do.

I haven't been wowed by a restaurant in a while. Bohmer wowed me. Go!

Getting the gut out of gunt

Let me preface this post with the following:

1) There is no such thing as spot reduction.
2) There is no abdominal work that will actually get rid of your gunt.
3) You probably don't actually have a gunt.
4) Getting the gut out of gunt is really about an alchemist blend of good strength
5) work, high intensity training and strategic nutrition.

With all of that out of the way, it is true that many women lose all awareness of their lower abdominals. Whether it be due to pregnancy, c-section or an energetic root chakra, kundalini type black hole of deadness, most women need help create neural pathways from their deep addominal/core muscles and lower addominal muscle fibres.

Last night in class I had the group (including Maggie) doing two of my favourite lower abdominal exercise and fool proof TVA activation exercises. I did not invent these. I saw one on a friends blog and the other is just common knowledge for a good deep core stabilization exercise.

The first one is called dead bug.



The last one is called whatever you want but it works every time to help people connect with their lower abdominal muscle fibres especially when coordinated with the breathe.




These pics are just teasers. I can't really teach you how to do proper core work in a blog post. If you really want proper instruction, you're going to have to get your butt into Urbanfitt and let me coach them to you properly.

Jane Clapp
Founder, Urbanfitt

Nutritional Intervention at Urban Warrior and brutal TABATA

Tonight 14 Urban Warriors were surprised to arrive to find out we wouldn't be doing our normal class format but instead had Kyle Byron there to talk to us all about nutrition.

Visible changes in our bodies really need to come through modified nutritional habits and Kyle spent about 45 minutes giving us a little intro into his system.

80% of body composition changes (i.e. fat loss) comes from changing our food intake. Seems obvious but not everyone wants to hear this. So I set up a scenario where people had to listen. Not passively listening to the drum of my voice that is easy to tune out after you've heard it for too long (kidding, sort of). Hopefully some of his advice sunk in. After all, when people notice changes in us, it reinforces our commitment to our chosen path of transformation. Might seem shallow but it's just the way it works.

Then I had to pack in something that would make the group remember me tomorrow so we did 4 brutal Tabata sets. So sorry to everyone including Kyle for putting you through that torture.
Tabata sets are 4 minutes long: 20 seconds full out effort with 10 seconds 8 times total

This is what we did:

Tabata set #1
Burpies
Firehydrant mountain climbers

Tabata set #2
A move I saw on an infommercial that's hard to describe. I'm not afraid to rip off moves from whatever source if they're good. A sort of reverse lung runner's stride up into a one legged jump. We did, or rather they did this for the full four minutes. Brutal.

Tabata set #3
A break dance type side plank twist (again hard to describe but awesome!)
Sumo squat jump

Tabata set #4
Sprawls
Split squat switches

And then with just 16 minutes of actual work, everyone in the room was grunting and DONE. Love it.

Because Urban Warrior is splitting at the seams, we've added another night. Sara-Clare will be offering a Tuesday night outdoor Urban Warrior 6:30 - 7:45 starting April 20th. Contact me to sign up for 6 sessions for $210. Of course, this additional Urban Warrior Team Training time is included with ALL U CAN SWEAT memberships.

If you've never done Urban Warrior, the first session is on me. Just let me know.

Ciao for now,

Jane Clapp
416.964.3309

The rice debate - Is brown really best?

Rice isn't a staple in my diet. If I ever eat rice, it's maybe half a cup at most. But for many people, rice is a staple at a minimum of one meal a day. People automatically think brown rice is best. I've heard conflicting advice around brown vs. white and thought it was time to do a little research so I'm not talking shit. I hate getting caught with my pants down ;)

I've visited several websites with conflicting information as well. If we're just looking at nutrient value vs glycemic index, then brown rice seems to kick butt on white rice. Duh right? If I make rice at home, it's always brown. And I don't get complaints from any kids. I just don't say anything and they don't notice they're eating a whole grain.

"The loss of nutrients is broad and substantial. Plain white rice has far less Vitamin E, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folacin, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron and over dozen other nutrients. Added to that, the dietary fiber contained in white rice is around a quarter of brown rice. So, brown rice certainly appears to be more healthy, but where does the environmental benefit come from? It's basically down to processing - the less processing of a food, the less energy required. There's also the issue of the synthetic vitamins added back in - produced in laboratories and factories from a variety of chemicals; and these sorts of processes are well known for their negative impact on the environment." Taken from Green Living Tips

But the truth is that there are slightly fewer calories in white rice (223 per cup) vs. brown rice (232 per cup)

In terms of the glycemic index:
White long grain rice and brown rice are the same at 50- 55 depending on what source you go to.
Short grain white rice is around 72
Uncle Ben's converted rice is around 44
Basmati is around 58 and wild rice is 57

Some online sources swear that white rice is more likely to turn into fat vs. brown. There's so much debate all over the place about the best kind of rice and after a significant amount of time researching, this is what I think. (recognizing I'm NOT a nutritionist)

1) I don't eat enough rice for it to be an issue. If I eat rice I limit serving size to half a cup and don't got back for more.
2) Just because something might have more nutrients doesn't mean you can eat as much as you want. I know people who totally over eat brown rice because "it's good for you". Too much of anything isn't good for you.
3) I'm never going to buy instant rice or offer it to my child. So that's off the table.
4) If you fill half your plate with veggies, a quarter with protein and a quarter with a starch, then just chill a bit on the worries around GI and choose the more nutrient dense choice (brown)
5) If you're really worried about what you should eat for medical conditions, don't research on the internet like me and find an alternative health practitioner who you click with and put a plan together. The internet is saturated with conflicting information and the sources are questionable.
6) People always overeat brown rice at vegetarian or vegans restaurants when they order rice bowl dishes. Stop! Just because it's vegetarian or vegan doesn't mean you can eat as much as you want.

If anyone has found some great online sources about the brown vs. white debate, send it.

Toxic relationships and your health

This term gets thrown around a lot. But what exactly is a toxic relationship? And the best question of all is how to deal with toxic people? Dr. Lillian Glass, author of "Toxic People" has a some great advice.

"Most of us can come up with a list, as long as our arm, of people who've made us feel miserable - starting with teachers and bullies at school, moving on to brothers, boyfriends, bosses and so-called friends. Not forgetting arrogant doctors and road hogs.

But what makes a toxic person tick? "They're people whose feelings of insecurity and inadequacy make them jealous, envious and uncaring, so they end up sabotaging your projects, your relationships, your happiness-even your car journey!" explains Dr Glass.

It could be the temperamental boss who's never satisfied, the friend who knows where you're going wrong (and revels in telling you), or the critical parent who can't stop treating you like a naughty ten-year-old.

But whatever your own personal definition of a toxic person, one thing is certain - putting up with a toxic relationship can seriously damage your health. "Migraines, eye-twitches, skin rashes and eating disorders often have their roots in toxic relationship that have gone on for too long," explains Dr. Glass."

Taken from Healthy Place

I do a lot of stress management coaching with my clients. There's a lot of decompression that happens during an hour session especially when people are using exercise to consciously deal with stress. The number one stressor that people talk about are the relationships people are having a hard time managing without getting pulled down into toxicity.

The tough part is knowing when relationships with bosses, partners, parents or friends have tipped into become toxic vs. just the normal amount of conflict and struggle present in any relationship. This is where I've struggled. At what point do we have to decide it's just too much crapola and decide a relationship is actually hurting our health.
If you're someone who values compassion and forgiveness, the desire to reach buddha like enlightenment (kidding) might make you stick around too long.

Life coach Cheryl Richardson describes six types of toxic qualities in people.

The Blamer
This person likes to hear his own voice. He constantly complains about what isn't working in his life and yet gets energy from complaining and dumping his frustrations on you.

The Drainer
This is the needy person who calls to ask for your guidance, support, information, advice or whatever she needs to feel better in the moment. Because of her neediness, the conversation often revolves around her, and you can almost feel the life being sucked out of you during the conversation.

The Shamer
This person can be hazardous to your health. The shamer may cut you off, put you down, reprimand you, or make fun of your or your ideas in front of others. He often ignores your boundaries and may try to convince you that his criticism is for you own good. The shamer is the kind of person who makes you question your own sanity before his.

The Discounter
This is the person who discounts or challenges everything you say. Often, she has a strong need to be right and can find fault with any position. It can be exhausting to have a conversation with the discounter, so eventually you end up giving in and deciding to just listen.

The Gossip
This person avoids intimacy by talking about other behind their backs. The gossip gets energy from relaying stories, opinions, and the latest "scoop." By gossiping about others, he creates a lack of safety in his relationships, whether he realizes it or not. After all, if he'll talk about someone else, he'll talk about you.

Taken from Oprah.com

But nothing you can find online is really going to help you manage a toxic relationship effectively. I strongly believe in turning to experts who can help guide us through difficult relationships (i.e. psychotherapists).

But the first step is being aware that a relationship is potentially damaging your health, self-esteem and dragging you down consistently. Life is too short.

Be well,

Jane Clapp

The secret ingredient in a kickass class is...

Relationship.

What does that mean exactly? It means that a great class involves an exchange of energy between an instructor and participants. Class participants also are responsible for creating a great class. It's not just a one way relationship. Participants affect each other as well and the attitudes of participants will affect the instructor.

Today I was teaching my regular noon class. Maybe it was the shit weather this week. Or maybe it was just the fact many people were there because they knew they would feel better after it was over, but not so much during. I had this moment of "ok guys. I need your help. I can't do this alone. Can we try to work together to build some energy in the room and help each other through this?" And it worked.

I've noticed the energy in class environments for YEARS!. I started teaching back in 1991. In fact, today Leslie gave me an old VHS tape of one of Jane Fonda's original vids. Yes, I dressed like that. Yikes.

Ever wonder why you love some group classes and not others? It might not be the exact type of music you like. You might not like all the exercises you're being forced to do. But there's something that happens in a room when a great instructor manages the relationships in the room. Not only does a great instructor have to know their stuff, they also have to manage energetic issues in the room (ie. people who chat too much or become black holes of negative whiny energy). The focus of an instructor needs to be divided between excellent form technique and class design, but also in keeping everyone in the room together as a unified team or group.

So next time you're in a class you LOVE, take a second and see if this excellent instructor is managing the relationships in the room or merely standing at the front and demonstrating. It takes an assertive personality to keep everyone focused on the greater good of everyone.

And when you find an instructor like that, you will follow them anywhere.

Jane Clapp
Urbanfitt

Low carb, high fat breakfast may control weight

I've got to give it to Leslie Beck at the Globe. Especially after for covering this recent nutritional finding.

Globe and Mail article by Leslie Beck

It's such a great article. You have to go visit the link and read the whole thing.

But what are some ideas for breakfast that is high in healthy fats and lower on the carb factor.

Complex carbs aren't a no no as long as you include protein and some fats with them. For example, slow cook oats, multi grain bread with a protein, fruit with high fat/protein yogurt or cottage cheese. Avoid the white carbs in the morning especially.

Anyone still getting caught up eating a bagel at Timmys for breakie or a muffin at Bucks should just cut it out. Crossaints are yummy if they're from Clafouti but it doesn't give you any real energy to keep you going through the day.

Here are some ideas I offer clients for breakfast:

A couple eggs (they aren't the devil we once thought they were) with one piece of whole grain toast
Oatmeal with protein powder, some nuts and blueberries
Dinner for breakfast as long as it isn't starchy like pasta. Think outside the box. I can stomach chicken curry for breakfast. One of my clients regularly eats mackerel.
Protein shake with high fat yogurt
2% cottage cheese with a bit of fruit and nuts

Just some ideas.

What this study confirms yet again is if you eat a well balanced breakfast that isn't a piece of toast or Special K like cereal that has some fats and protein in it, you're more likely to control your eating later in the day. It's not just about self control. It's about the impact our choices early in the day have on our bodies' cravings and our blood sugar levels.

Fix your breakfast and the rest is easier. And if you're ready to get some serious help tackling your eating, you can give Kyle Byron (thumbs up from me!) for some help.

Cheers big ears,

Jane Clapp
Urbanfitt

Are Blueberries the New Wonder Food?

I think they're wonderful. One of my favourite breakfasts on a cold winter day is organic oatmeal with a scoop of organic whey protein powder and a half cup of frozen blueberries. Yum and it sticks to the ribs for a few hours.

It isn't new news that blueberries are a wonder food. But recently more of my clients have been jumping on the blueberry wagon so I thought I ought to explain in more detail why they're a super food:

"Packed with antioxidant phytonutrients called anthocyanidins, blueberries neutralize free radical damage to the collagen matrix of cells and tissues that can lead to cataracts, glaucoma, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, peptic ulcers, heart disease and cancer. Anthocyanins, the blue-red pigments found in blueberries, improve the integrity of support structures in the veins and entire vascular system. Anthocyanins have been shown to enhance the effects of vitamin C, improve capillary integrity, and stabilize the collagen matrix (the ground substance of all body tissues). They work their protective magic by preventing free-radical damage, inhibiting enzymes from cleaving the collagen matrix, and directly cross-linking with collagen fibers to form a more stable collagen matrix." Taken from World's Healthiest Foods

One of the health bloggers I respect the most is Tara Parker-Pope at the New York Times. Her blog is titled Well. Back in 2008 she included blueberries in her list of 11 Best Foods You Aren't Eating. But eating fresh blueberries year round can be almost impossible and definitely cost prohibitive for some of us. As long as they are frozen quickly, without much liquid and aren't heated then you can still get loads from the frozen variety. Plus you always have a back up super food in the freezer.

"Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, frozen blueberries are available year-round and don’t spoil; associated with better memory in animal studies."

Other than nibbling on blueberries as a snack or throwing them in oatmeal, yogurt or a fruit salad, Tara at Well also wrote about a yummy dessert idea called "Forbidden Rick Pudding with Blueberries". I saw the recipe and thought I'd have to try it out for a dinner party. The deal with rice pudding is that like with any 'treat' you want to limit portion size. But this recipe is used with black rice and has the ability to wow. One cup of blueberries are only about 83 calories.

Can't wait for blueberry season to hit early July even up until late August. Thinking about a visit to a upick place for a fun outing. Here's a great link to a list of upicks close to the GTA.

Is Tracy Anderson responsible for Madonna's arms?

Hmmm...
I've had a few clients ask me about the Tracy Anderson 'method'. The first question about Tracey Anderson came about 2 years ago when a high profile client who was shacked up with a major Canadian Indie rock star asked me if she could get a Gwyneth Paltrow body doing it the Tracey way.

Honestly, don't ask me about trendy Hollywood fitness trends. I might have to swallow back the barf in the my mouth listening to the crap that Hollywood endorses that essentially is a major part of fucking up so many women's body images throughout the Western world. I have to wonder, what kind of thank yous do Hollywood stars get for endorsing their trainers' stuff? If a Hollywood star is going to put their name on something, it ain't going to be for nothing unless it's a Haiti fundraiser or for children dying of AIDS. So please...let's start looking at the machine of capitalism more objectively when it comes to the fitness industry.

I've trained 'famous' people and I'm too freakin' weirded out by asking them to give me a public endorsement. I've never been able to go there in a serious way. I feel like a BIG cheeseball. The relationships I build with clients famous or not are intimate and not based on 'what can you do for me'. How can YOU make me rich.

This is what Tracy Anderson says on the home page of her website:
"Tracy Anderson is helping countless women to achieve toned and defined bodies through the release of a new dvd series featuring her signature moves. Tracey Anderson's innovative method has transformed Gywneth Paltrow, Courtney Cox and Shakira to their tiniest, strongest points."

First of all, I hate the word 'toned'. What is toned? Basically to look toned you have to lose body fat and build muscle. Toned is a word of the past. It's about nutrition and body composition. There's no magic exercise that converts fat to muscle. Lose the word 'toned' from your vocabulary. It reminds me of the leg lifts I used to do in late 80s aerobics. "Tone those butts girls! Ooh ooh!" Plus she encourages 50 to 100 reps for her 'toning' exercises. Yikes! What's science is she basing this 'method' on. Not any I've read in the last 20 years.

She also says to NEVER lift more than 3 lbs. Ok ladies. Good thing you've got two full time nannies and a housekeeper and gardener so you don't have to build functional strength for the day to day activities that require real strength. God forbid picking up a child would interfere with having Tracy Anderson arms. Those heavy crying kids wanting attention might create the dreaded muscle bulk these superstars are trying to avoid. GAG

And second, when did these three freakin' gorgeous women ever not look fantastic. I don't remember them needing a 'makeover'. She's also Madonna's trainer du jour. Um excuse me but I can't remember a time in the last 20 years that Madonna didn't have the body she has. Pretty hard to whip Madonna into shape for sure.

And last and the biggest point I have to make in this rant is, changing your body composition is at least 80% food related. Tracy Anderson has an eating plan that you're supposed to follow. The eating plans that accompany any workout DVDs include a huge disclaimer saying something like, "results are only guaranteed if you follow the diet plan enclosed" or something like that. If you do some regular resistance exercise of any type and eat clean (these famous gals can afford chefs who make sure of that) of course you're going to look way more defined and ripped.

So good on anyone who decides to exercise and start taking charge of how they feel about their bodies. Doing something is ALWAYS better than nothing. But please please please don't be fooled by celebrity trainers who pretend they have a magic bullet. Throw out the extra chocolate easter eggs, stop binge eating and maybe even drinking and stick to a regular strength training routine. Don't take more than a week off at a time and sweat when you work out. Life weights especially your own body weight and stop looking for shit that celebrities endorse. Believe people wherever you are, who don't make things sound too sexy because losing weight and getting defined bodies takes a lot of consistent work over a long period of time.

I'd endorse Weight Watchers over a celeb trainer that cheeses things up for profit any day.

Good luck to you.

Jane Clapp

Circus and Acro Yoga in the Park

I was about to leave work today when one of my best buds called me and asked me to go to Dufferin Grove because one of her yoga teachers was setting up silks, trapeze and other circus like training tools. I was going to go to High Park to run with Maggie but with an offer like that, how could I refuse.

I love trying new stuff and I especially love Dufferin Grove park. I always end up seeing people I know or recognize from my community and it makes me feel like I have a context on this huge planet.

When we arrived, we met a nice guy named Sebastian from 8 limbs 2 hearts yoga. He graciously spotted me while I tried walking along the trapeze. It was so amazing to feel the involuntary movements that happen when my body was so unaccustomed to balancing that way. Holy proprioception. And within a few steps, I could feel the rope under me shake a little less and could see how fun it would be to master. Here's a pic of me and Sebastian.


Then we tried a bit of Acro Yoga with Sebastian. Very cool stuff. It kind of reminded me of playing airplane with my daughter.

Here's me flying. One of the pictures is just to give you a bit of a laugh. Nice view eh!




This is taken from the Acro Yoga homeland in California.

"AcroYoga blends the spiritual wisdom of yoga, the loving kindness of Thai massage, and the dynamic power of Acrobatics. These three ancient lineages form this practice that cultivates trust, connection and playfulness. There are 7 main elements that make up the practice: circle ceremony, asana, partner flow, Thai massage, therapeutic flying, inversions & spotting, and partner acrobatics. Our highest aim is to bring individuals into a state of union with themselves, with each other, and with the divine. From this place of mutual support the true self can be realized, celebrated and shared for the benefit of all."

Here' a little video of what we got to watch today.


I had loads of fun with it and could see how it would become addictive. It's such a playful yet focused practice. There's really no opportunity to let your mind wander out of the moment.

After that, my ex-circus performer bud Vic taught me how to climb the silks. I got a good 15 feet up and later tried some simple stuff on the trapeze. I had a nice little adrenaline rush from everything that day. Anyone can come and play on circus days at Dufferin Grove. Many people were there from Toronto Circus Arts and will graciously teach you how to do tricks. Really nice people. Nice little community.

Thanks to everyone who I met today and helped make this beautiful day even better.

Jane

Jesus had a six pack - crucifiction core tabata workout

Happy Good Friday and Passover folks. Here are some Easter treats for everyone. Whether you love Jesus or not, you'll love these.

First, you have to watch this. It's freakin' hilarious!



Second, here's your crucifiction core tabata workout.

(Tabata is a four minute set - 20 seconds full out effort, 10 seconds rest for 4 minutes total.)

You can add this on at the end of any workout or even do a quickie core crucifiction workout by itself after some dynamic warm up (leg throws, inch worms, walking hip flexor stretches etc.) AKA lube up those joints first.

Complete the following 3-4 times with 1 minute rest between Tabata sets. Killer!


1) Renegade rows with minimum 10 lbs dumbells (20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest, 20 seconds on 10 seconds rest)
2) Stability ball pikes (20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest, 20 seconds on 10 seconds rest)
3) Firehydrant mountain climber with glute ham raise (20 seconds on 10 seconds rest 20 seconds on 10 seconds rest)
4) Passovers (20 seconds on 10 seconds rest 20 seconds on 10 seconds rest)

Last, here is a little youtube video of what happens every Good Friday right in front of my studio in Toronto's west end. The kids love the Good Friday parade. Ya right. Forget about candy at parades. Come watch Jesus get his ass kicked for fun kids.



And last but not least, an Urbanfitt member named Christina is the mama of easter eggs. This is a picture of the egg I got to choose for myself. We've all been bugging her to start giving egg painting lessons. Amazing. Her designs could be turned into wallpaper, she could become the Martha of easter eggs or she could start selling them for a fortune. Gorgeous!





All the eggs I got to choose from:



Now I'm off to go paint easter eggs and eat chocolate.

Maggie's Aria - finding bliss in every day things

Just watch it. Seriously. It's a good reset on your mood.
Am I becoming a weirdo dog person? But Maggie teaches me a lot about being in the moment.