momstown Oakville moms lose over 100lbs and 50 inches in our first ever fitness challenge!

A big congratulations to all the momstown Oakville moms who participated in our first ever fitness challenge! Last night was the final weigh in and these Oakville moms knocked it out of the park!  Everyone did really well and whether they were in it to lose pounds, inches or just to become more active I think the challenge was a resounding success.  As a group, we lost 113 lbs and 52 inches in 6 weeks!

A big thank you to all of our sponsors!  momstown Oakville moms loved trying so many places and workouts that were new to them. To recap, here are the workouts we did:

Spinning with Quad Spin

Bootcamp with Fitdolls

Pilates with The Belle Method

Zumba with Binu

Sports training with The Sports Academy

Body Pump and Yoga led by one of our own momstown Oakville mamas

Whole Body Vibration Training with T-Zone Oakville

And we had a nutritional seminar with Living Force Nutrition.

For our final weigh in, we gathered together at Whole Foods where Ryan from Fitness on the Go took our measurements and we weighed in.  Ryan was professional and encouraging and stayed around to offer us some tips and tricks to continue down our healthier path.  I asked him what three exercises would he recommend to start each day with and he suggests push ups, squats and the plank.  We also talked protein powder, weight lifting and of course, his area of expertise, personal training.  Be sure to check out the Fitness on the Go website to learn how you can get Ryan to come and whip you in to shape right in your own house!  A very easy option for moms - get that workout in while baby naps upstairs!

We also had Paula from Body by Vi speak to the group about her transformational change (she lost 32lbs in her first 90 days and then another 50 lbs after that!) using the Body by Vi weight loss system.  Paula delivered great information about what worked for her, answered all of our questions and handed out some tasty samples!  In addition to samples from Paula, samples of Nature’s Qu Quinoa Cereal Embrace Foods were also given out.  Adding protein to your breakfast was a great tip we received from our nutritionist seminar and quinoa cereal would be a fabulous way to do that.

And then finally it was time to announce the winners!  

Congratulations to Jody who lost the highest percentage of body weight (9% in 6 weeks)!

Congratulations to Stacey who lost the most inches (10.5 inches in 6 weeks)!

I love that we could all get fit together and inspired one another to make healthy lifestyle changes and try new things.  Another benefit to being a momstown mama!  momstown Oakville is working on our next fitness challenge starting in mid September.  Want to join us?  Sign up here!

momstown Oakville Moms Try Out Whole Body Vibration Training at T-Zone Oakville to Tone and Tighten!

momstown Oakville's final workout as part of our fitness challenge had use experiencing something new as we headed to T-Zone Oakville.  Located in downtown Oakville, T-Zone has many fitness options that are really unique.

To start off, did you know that in just 10 minutes you can reap the following benefits from using Whole Body Vibration (WBV) Training:

Increased muscle strength
Improve Blood Circulation
Enhance lymph drainage
Exercise and oxygenate your body
Build bone density and fight osteoporosis
Increase metabolism, burn fat and raise energy levels
Tone and tighten skin
Decrease cellulite
Reduce back and joint pain
Rehabilitate injuries quicker
Decrease blood pressure and cholesterol levels (stress hormone)

Interested to learn more yet?  Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about WBV training.

Is Whole Body Vibration Training Credible?

The Russians have been using it since before the fall of the Berlin Wall to strengthen their athletes. In Europe it is widely used in gyms, by sporting teams, chiropractors, physiotherapists and Personal Trainers.

Does It Really Work?

Take some time and research the internet, there is research from all around the world on the many benefits of Whole Body Vibration. It was actually proven to work over 40 years ago with space travel.

Still curious?  Get more answers to frequently asked questions here.

momstown Oakville moms really enjoyed trying out these machines.  Candace, the owner of T-Zone Oakville spent lots of time answering all of our questions and walking us through using the machines.  Because this workout only takes 10 minutes (but is equivalent to a 1 hour workout!) this is a perfect fit for moms with young kids - you can spare just 10 minutes, right?  You also can do WBG in regular clothes so it really does take no time at all.

T-Zone Oakville - Whole Body Vibration Training

T-Zone Oakville also offers other classes in their studios such as Jazzercise and Yoga.  In addition to doing a WBV workout, we also did Jazzercise!  I had never done Jazzercise before.  Our instructor, Bev, was great at taking things slow with us newbies but also made the workout fun and challenging.  And I felt like I was dancing on Broadway for some of the routines...always an added bonus in my book!

Jazzercise with Bev at T-Zone Oakville

T-Zone Oakville always offers a complimentary introduction Whole Body Vibration Technology so make sure to contact them to give it a try for yourself.  Membership and drop in rates are available.

Here is what some of our members said about WBV Training:

"As they said, I slept really well last night after using the machines"

"I love that you can get a workout in but it only takes 10 minutes!"

Make sure you visit their website to learn more about Whole Body Vibration Training and about the other classes offered through their studio.  This trial was the perfect way to end our fitness challenge as we all got to end on a note of trying something new which is one of the goals of the fitness challenge!

Wednesday night is our final weigh in, stayed tuned for the results and the big winners!

momstown Oakville moms train like athletes at The Sports Training Academy

momstown Oakville moms completed another fitness challenge workout last night at The Sports Training Academy.  The Sports Training Academy offers a wide range of sports training in the areas of hockey, baseball, golf, gymnastics and overall sports performance training.  I'll admit that I don't think that many of the ladies knew what to expect going in to this workout but I know that we were all impressed (and tired!) by the time the workout was over.

The Sports Training Academy's fitness expert Steve Teel took us through a 70 minute workout that included extensive stretching and hard core strength training.  Steve did a fantastic job at explaining the stretches he instructed us to do and everyone doing the class could be heard commenting on how the stretches felt great and were really effective. Steve was really upbeat the entire time and really encouraging too.   While we were stretching, Steve talked about the importance of mobility and the ability for your body to have balance and agility - something that many kids today are lacking even if they compete in sports on a regular basis.

After we stretched, we moved into some circuit training.  When I saw the huge ropes lying on the ground (that weigh 28 lbs each!) I immediately thought of the tv show Biggest Loser!  They often do workouts using things like a rope, kettlebells and medicine balls - all things that we used last night as well.

Steve led us through a circuit that included planks, side planks, pushups, pop squats with a kettlebell. squats with a medicine ball - sounds fun, right?  Fun might not be the word (although we did have quite a few laughs while working out) but it was an incredible workout that was challenging and made me feel strong.

Here is what what some of our members had to say:

"Best workout!!!" - Michelle

"I felt just amazing this morning - That stretching alone was gold last night!" - Melanie

I was talking to my husband when I got home and when I described the workout, he thought it sounded great and mentioned it was a type of workout that appealed to him as well.  If you'd like more information about working out with The Sports Academy training team, please email the owner, Mike Kennedy.  The Sports Training Academy also offers birthday party packages, after school programs and summer camps too!

Nutrition Tips for Weight Loss and A Healthy Body From Living Force

The first momstown Oakville fitness challenge is well under way, in fact, we had our mid point weigh in last week.  Oakville moms have had lots of fun trying out several new workouts, but we also wanted to include some information on nutrition as part of the challenge.  Nat from Living Force nutrition met with the momstown Oakville fitness challenge group and gave us some really great tips and information about how to improve our eating to give our bodies have more energy.

Nat began by asking a simple question, "what do you think of when I say the word 'food'" and she got some interesting responses.

Diet
Portion Control
Yummy
Nutrition
Losing Weight
Balance

Do any of those words resonate with you?  We could all relate to the fact that over the last few years we've had big changes in our nutrition and eating habits due to pregnancy or breastfeeding or both.  It can be a challenge to get yourself back on track again.

Nat was really keen on making sure you fuel yourself at the start of the day and have protein at breakfast. Her suggestions included eggs, quinoa, steel cut oats or natural nut butters. Some great recipes to try are as follows:

Quinoa Hot Cereal
Poached Eggs with Brocoli and Goat Cheese

We also talked about cravings and Nat provided us with a great handout to help combat your cravings.  The sheet listed foods you might crave along with what your body may be missing to have such a craving (craving chocolate?  Your body needs magnesium) and foods to eat to replenish the deficiency (need magnesium? Eat nuts, legumes or fruit - not chocolate!).

And finally, a reminder to us all about what your plate should look like.  50% vegetables, 25% mixed whole grains or starch, 25% protein source.  How does your plate rate?

Nat has a wide array of services to help you and your family find balance when it comes to food.  She offers cooking classes (even ones tailored to getting your kids to eat healthier!), meal plans, and a stock your kitchen option.  Click here for a complete list as well as some great savings for her Jump Start programs.

Eating better makes you feel better but it also takes some work to break free of old habits and convenience foods that can be ready in 3 minutes.  Nat can make you appreciate good food again and remind you of what you need to fuel your body.  Did you know that many employer health benefit plans cover a nutritionist, just as a naturopath or massage therapist is covered?

Your body does a lot for you every day.  Make sure you say thank you by giving it the best fuel you possible can!

momstown Oakville moms get fit and have fun with Zumba with Binu

momstown Oakville moms participated in another great workout last night as part of our fitness challenge. We got movin' and groovin' with Zumba with Binu! This was my first time doing a Zumba class and while I expected it to be at least a little fun, it was incredibly fun and I was pleasantly surprised.

Here are my three favourite things about last night's workout:

1.  I had a goofy (albeit sweaty) smile on my face the whole time.  It really is fun!

2.  This workout reminded me of being on vacation.  What??  It's true!  I felt like I was at an all inclusive resort in Mexico feeling the vibe of the nightly entertainment when they get everyone involved in the dancing.

3.  I was also reminded of dance parties with my university house mates, loved those and loved that this workout felt just as fun.

Bottom line?  This is a really fun way to get fit and Binu is an amazing instructor with great energy.

There was a pretty big group of participants last night and it ranged for many people having their first Zumba experience to those that had done a few classes before.  At the end of our class with Binu, we all agreed that her choreography was easy to follow and that none of us felt lost.  The music was fantastic and we had a great variety in the steps and routines that were used.  I had a lot of energy during the class and could feel my mood being elevated as I got more and more into the workout.

Getting down and funky!

Shaking it up!

I had a hard time getting good pictures as we barely stopped moving for the entire 60 minutes!  After we jumped, danced, shook, moved and grooved, we did end the class with some ab work and some stretching which was a nice way to wind down and finish up the workout.

Binu leading the group and getting our feet in the air, followed by some stretching.

Here is what some of our members had to say about the class:

"I loved her energy! It was a great class and not too hard to follow the moves." - Stacey

"I am sore today....a good sore.  I love workouts like that because you get so caught up in the fun and dancing that you forget you're working so hard." - Jody

Binu's current session goes until March 31st (daytime and evening options, click here for the schedule) and you can join anytime. Classes will be prorated based on number of weeks left in the session.  First class is always free! You can drop in if room is available. Drop in fee is $15. If you sign up for the session regardless of how many classes are left, the price is cheaper.  Binu offers weights classes for women as well and most of her classes are run out of the Sports Training Academy in Oakville.

Hope you take advantage of the free class option and try out Zumba with Binu - you won't regret it!

momstown Oakville moms have fun and get fit with Fitdolls

My legs are sore this morning!  Last night momstown Oakville moms tackled our third workout for the momstown fitness challenge.  Fitdolls promised us a fun and challenging workout and they certainly delivered on that promise!  Fitdolls programming is exclusively for women designed by women. Their workouts are designed to give you a beautiful feminine toned body. Fitdolls goal is to help you look and feel your best and their programs involve:

-high intensity fat burning workouts
-fun stations that combine cardio and strength training
-flexibility component

We started our workout with a quick warm up and then moved right into some challenging but fun activities. When is the last time you skipped in a big skipping rope?  Taking us back to our school yard days, we had a blast taking turns turning the rope and jumping in and out of the rope.  We even had three mamas in their jumping all at once!

Another fun activity involved running around and flipping paper plates over.  We were divided into two teams and one team needed to have as many plates facing up as possible and the other team needed to have the plates facing down.  This activity was really great cardio as we raced around competing against each other but after bending down many, many times you could really start to feel the burn!  Add in some good old fashioned suicide runs, lunges and walking planks back and forth across the room, and some relay races and the hour passed really quickly.

Lunges, walking plank, skipping rope and flipping plates with Fitdolls!

Here is what some of our members had to say about the workout:

"Yes, good workout. My thighs are sore from all the lunges. The workout had a grade school vibe to it that was refreshing. All those jumping jacks, skipping, and suicides... all we needed was a game of dodge ball to round out the night!" - Amy

"It was a great workout! I'm glad I pushed myself as it was outside of my comfort zone. I've never done a class like that before." - Sarah

Fitdolls offers boot camp classes as well as personal training sessions either in studio or in your home. Check out their website for some great winter promo prices!  Their workouts are hard but they've done a really great job at making them fun and unique.