Thursday, August 03, 2006

Cool stuff again

from June 26th enewsletter:
Cool Stuff Going On:

Walking Club meets at Liberty Hospital this Saturday morning at 7:00am. There is a second-floor walkway (over a drive) that connects the hospital to Medical Plaza East. We will meet there. Anyone who is training for the Nike Women's Marathon or just wants to burn a few extra calories will meet at 6:30am. We will swing back by the starting point at 7:00am to pick up the others.

Speaking of Liberty Hospital, a great big thank you to Phit Chick Erin Parde, their CFO, who hooked up us with a sponsor for our fall t-shirts. Thanks Erin! (HINT: Show up to walking club -- the women you'll meet are not only great fun, they're well-connected too!)

It is a holiday weekend, so think colors to keep your nutrition on track. Red wine is full of anti-oxidants, but one glass will supply plenty. White, well, there's a great dip you can make from plain yogurt OR strained, low-fat cottage cheese. Just put either in the blender with your favorite seasonings or dressing mix. The cottage cheese version is ALL protien -- can't beat it.

Green is a much better color than Bleu, especially if you're thinking bleu cheese, or any cheese. A nibble or two won't hurt, but be careful -- those creamy little cubes -- they add up to alot of saturated fat. Try some green, orange, red and yellow veggies.

A big CONGRATS to Phit Chick Laura Mazi, who's getting hitched this weekend! (Click here and scroll clear down to see her photo.)

Cool Stuff to Share:

I was really intrigued by this information on the immune system and keeping it strong.

Group workouts Rock!
Even Oprah says so. Her exact words? "Listen. I've worked out by myself, with a trainer and with a group, and it's definately most fun with a group."

It IS the most fun with a group. I know I've carried on quite enough about our group workouts, Equilibrium: Balanced Fitness for Women. But hear me out one more time gals, as we have some cool plans for fall.

In September we'll debut "Equilibrium: Balanced Fitness for Young Women," which will feature exercise programs for Phit Chicks age 23 - 30. This program will be designed primarily by yours truly, but instructed by a Phit Chick Trainer who is actually young, Mandy Froehlich. With a Master's degree in Exercise Science and many other qualifications, Mandy will lead these gals in sweaty, fun-filled workouts. She'll do a beginners and an intermediate group.

And Pre-Natal Equilibrium will make an encore, taught by mother of three and former parent-child educator Mendy Shriver.
And I"m sooooo excited about Equilibrim Plus, a class exclusively for women a size 18 or larger. The Plus-size group will meet at Modern Physical Therapy, a gorgeous setting with lots of windows and well stocked with the latest in exercise equipment. The plus size group will have NO ONE in the room except other plus-size women and their trainer.

We'll also be offering Equilibrium workouts at Slim & Tone at 10201 North Oak Trafficway, and at Anytime Fitness, at Hwy 291 & I-35. Email me if you want more info on any of these new classes. More instructors and more locations coming too, details next week.

Would still love to share our news, so if you have friends interested in fitness, please use the "send to a friend" feature at the top. Appreciate your help. As always, email me if you have ideas or questions.
Looking forward to seeing you all Saturday morning at Liberty Hospital. Have a safe & happy Fourth of July~
Angela

More cool stuff to share

Cool Stuff to Share:
I think most of you saw the article in the KC Star last Saturday; wanted to share it here just in case.

How many calories are you burning? This calculator is pretty nifty -- it tells you exactly how many calories you burn in a given activity based on your weight -- very personalized.

Father's Day is this weekend, and Dads and families are on our brains. A recent study shows that obesity rates are rising in men and children. Kudos Phit Chicks, but we gotta help out the guys and kids. I've witnessed alot of crazy training going on with youth -- because of their natural resiliency they don't get injured quite as easily, leading parents to think that any trainer who "kicks their butt" is a good trainer. And while ANY exercise is better than none for children, I'd recommend you go to this website and take a look at the "Checklist for Hiring Trainers for Kids and Teens."

Would still love to share our news, so if you have friends interested in fitness, please use the "send to a friend" feature at the top. Appreciate your help. As always, email me if you have ideas or questions.
Looking forward to seeing you all Saturday morning a the community center.
Create a healthy day~
Angela

Cool resources on the web.

Cool Stuff to Share:

I get this cool enewsletter called "Daily Candy" that sends me trends and fun stuff, mostly things you can buy on websites. (Don't click if you tend to overindulge in retail therapy -- easy to spend money on stuff on Daily Candy.) After reading it today, I decided to share a few of my favorite links with you.

Calorie Counter has virtually every food on it.

Laura's Wholesome Junk Food is great for those of you with gluten or wheat allergies, or just wanting a little less guilt in your indulgences.

Nifty insoles for dress shoes -- you gotta take care of your feet! I've recommended Rusty at Metro Walk and Run for your workout shoes, (he gives a 10% discount to Phit Chicks) but you gotta take care of your feet in every outfit.

Yoga Journal still has the best yoga site; and I love the "pose finder."

And my favorite fitness books are on this list at Amazon.

Finally, a couple of requests: I'm working on an article for a small business newspaper, and am seeking information on any small business who actively encourages their employees to lead a healthy lifestyle.
AND...I am quietly seeking sponsors for Walking Club t-shirts in the fall. One of the things I need to do is boost the audience of this newsletter. So if you have friends interested in fitness, please use the "send to a friend" feature at the top. Appreciate your help. As always, email me if you have ideas or questions.

Looking forward to seeing you all Saturday morning a the community center -- hope you can join us to walk!
Create a healthy day~
Angela

Summer Slimdown -- Mission Possible!

Hey there -- feeling up to a slimmer summer? I thought so.

Your mission, should you blah-blah-blah, is to hit the walking club, the community pilates class, a Phit Chicks Weight Training workshop, or the summer Equilibrium sessions.

The new Phit Chicks Weight Training workshops are an information-packed two hours, complete with handouts of over 100 exercises. If you need some variety in your weight lifting routine, check the details below.

Plenty of choices Agent! No excuse for a flabby summer.

And no sighing at the mention of exercise. Getting fit is like a good relationship (or a dangerous mission) -- it's gonna require commitment, prioritization and occasionally, sacrifice.

Like, well, pretty much anything worthwhile.

Here's a couple of ideas to keep your slimmer summer in the front of your brain:
1. Make a brain movie.
I was motivated for a full six months after Mission Impossible II. The image of Tom Cruise's back muscles as agent Ethan Hunt scaled that sky-high cliff made me want to move and sweat. (Darn him for the couch jumping. Live interviews always kill any temporary motivation that you get from a celebrity.)
Hollywood and pro sports are ruining alot of the old reliable brain movies, so you'll have to make your own. A good one for me: when I'm tempted to spend wrecklessly, I watch my "movie" of myself on the porch swing of my ocean-front house. Some people call these dreams. The difference is you have to play out the steps in your brain movie. So when I'm trying to save money, I imagine myself putting those designer jeans I love back on the rack, walking out of the store, and making a larger deposit into my savings account. Then the movie ends with me purchasing that villa on beach front property. The next time I"m faced with what I justify as a need for retail therapy, it's a llittle easier to stay on track to my goals. So, take your health and fitness dreams, add a few specific action steps, and you've got yourself a brain movie. Make sure it has a happy ending, and play it when you're feeling lazy.

2. Stop whining.
When your mind starts playing "Im tired" messages, turn the channel. Go to a station telling you that you're darn lucky to have a healthy body and with a tiny bit of effort you'll be a health diva.

3. Nourish, don't nosh.
If food is going into your mouth, it needs to have one of two distinct purposes: nutrition or pleasure. Eat the lean protien to build your muscles. Eat the colorful vegetables for antioxidants and yummy crunch. Eat the ripe peach for the juicy sweetness (ok, that's both). But be tuned into every bite, and don't let yourself start the hand-to-mouth mindless munching that packs on pounds. If you occassionally indulge in those empty calories (keyword: occassionally!) make sure it's something you love every bite of!

4. Move.
Like I said above, check out a new summer exercise program. The accountability of peers, the scheduled meeting time, and someone else making you move from exercise to exercise will work wonders in your results-to-effort ratio.

Bring your neighbor, your Mom, your hubby, your daughter, your son, your secretary, the checkout clerk at your grocery store to our walking club this Saturday. A buddy to gossip & laugh with only burns more calories!
Time flies when I'm doing all the talking -- make your plan now for a slim summer '06! Good luck, agent.