Crafty Projects 12-15, maybe 16…

Sometimes I think crafting for me is like exercise for others. It's something we want to do, need to do, but push it to the bottom our to-do lists. We also ignore the little things that do count as creating or exercising, because it's not designated as such. If you spent hours working in your yard over the weekend, I'd definitely count that as exercise! I'd bet you got a better workout than driving to the gym a few times a week to walk for 30 minutes on the dreadmill too.

I also think adding a zen garden to your yard or whipping up a meal without a recipe or really anything in your fridge are true sparks of creativity.

Craftiness and fitness can slip into our days without realizing it, but they do count!

So, I gotta keep that all in mind since I am "behind" with my 45 Crafty Project in a Year. But here are some of the latest things I have made, besides tons of tasty meals and yard work. :-)

I designed these
Best Little Fitness Studio In South Tabor cards
to go out around the neighborhood.

Here's my first attempt a lined, padded shoulder strap, interfaced messenger bag.
It turned out ok, but really the process was educational so that's a good thing!

Corey bought our new doggie Panda a bed that she
quickly bit holes in the cover.
She seems to like this new cover I made just for her!

I tried making these wooden nickels from branches,
but learned quickly that they are more of a weapon on the
chop saw than a wooden disc.
So, I designed and order them online.

Anyway. Those are the latest creative endeavors in my life. Oh, and I also came up with a new way for students to register for classes. Might be more tech-y than crafty, but I'm counting it because it made me use my brain and learn new things in the process. Two things that we all can do more of!

I'm not jazzed about most of the online class registration sites,
 so I came up with a private google.doc to share with students.
It's free and simple to use for all of us!
Now hopefully I can get everyone to actually use it!

I truly believe that creating is just as important for our health as exercise. And sometimes they go hand in hand. So what about you? What kind of crafty goodness have you been into lately? I'd love to hear about it!

cheers,
Kristin

Seeking Tabata Bootcamp Testers

Hi again, everyone!

If you know me, you know I love interval training.  And these days we're doing short and sweet ones that are really fun. And effective! A lot of people are calling it Tabata training, which is interval training requiring you to kick butt for 20 seconds, rest for 10, as you cycle through a series of exercises. Some workouts are done in 8 minutes or less. There was even an article in the New York Times, talking about the Scientific 7-Minute Workout. You can read more about Tabata training in my last post too.

I like these short bursts so much I completed the Tabata Bootcamp Instructor Training Program. I researched some of popular programs but found too many of them unsafe and kind of cultish.

Tabata Bootcamp is different. For the trainer and the students. You get great workouts with your trainer (like me!), but you also can take advantage of their weight-loss meal plans, receive daily 6-minute Tabata videos, and daily recipes. And I don't believe in a one-size-fits all, so I can modify these workouts so everyone can get a safe and effective workout. Oh, and just FYI, unless your trainer is a certified nutritionist or registered dietician, she/he can not legally prescribe a diet. With me being certified by Tabata Bootcamp, you'll have access to the Tabata bootcamp website where a registered dietician has developed a diet plan to help you lose weight as you go through the program.

So, now it's time for us to test this whole thing out! I need some folks who are looking to get in great shape, lose fat, tone muscle and push themselves in a fun way! Here's my plan. I'm going to blend Tabata Bootcamp with my Healthy Habits Program, so you get workouts, meal plans, pre- and post-training fitness assessments, as well as weekly healthy goals/lifestyle tips homework, so you can create permanent changes to your health and life!

Tabata Bootcamp Plus

2 training sessions/week x 8 Weeks

Mondays and Wednesdays, May 22-July 17 (No class 5/27) 

5:45-6:45pm

Sessions will be at my private studio and outside.

Each session will incorporate:

• warm up
• cardio, resistance, and core intervals
• intervals will be 20 seconds of work, 10 seconds rest
• extensive cool down, foam roller massage and stretching
• Check-ins on weekly goals
• First and last sessions will include fitness assessments

Program will include :

• daily 6 minute exercise videos
• meal plans for weight loss
• daily recipes

Be a part of this new program as a Tabata Tester and save!

Special Intro Fee: $199

Sign up today!

You can drop in on the workout portion of this class (approximately 5:45-6:15) as part of your punchcard, if space is available. The remaining time will focus on cool down, weekly goals and homework for only those registered for the Tabata Bootcamp Program.

Tabata 101

The Tabata drills we've been adding into classes and private sessions lately elicit a lot of "OMGs" and "holy cows!" (or words to that effect). So while we're adding them to our sessions, clients are still wondering things like if I'm saying ciabatta, or if Tabata is pronounced like Tabitha without the "th". So I said I'd write up a little Tabata 101 low down to give everyone some background. Here we go!

OK, wait a minute, I better back up even further and talk about cardiovascular fitness, interval training and steady state training.

Cardio programs--walking, long distance running, biking, swimming etc-- are designed to improve cardiovascular endurance and if combined with a proper diet can help you lose weight. These methods are called steady state exercise or moderate intensity training because they can be sustained at the same pace for 30 minutes or more. Think aerobics classes and the dreaded treadmill. You burn calories during these activities, but there is little "after burn", i.e. increased caloric burn after the activity is finished.

Interval training requires you to move at a more challenging pace for brief periods, generally from 30 seconds to 3 minutes of time, and then reducing your pace back to a sustainable level. Imagine jogging, then running a flight of stairs at Mt Tabor, then walking, then repeating that again. You generally burn more calories in the same amount of time as a steady state activity, and there is an increase in the "after burn".

Got all that? Good. Let's move on.

True Tabata training is a method of interval training developed by Japanese researcher, Izumi Tabata (pronounced tab-BAH-tah) at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya, Japan.  Tabata conducted a study to compare moderate intensity training with high intensity training. A lot of folks are talking about Tabata training these days, but in all honesty they aren't really doing True Tabata Training. The athletes in Izumi's study were divided into 2 groups. One group did 1-hour-long, moderate intensity workouts (70% of VO2max), 5 days a week x 6 weeks. Group TWO did the high intensity workouts, 4 days a week x 6 weeks. But each session was only 4 minutes total broken down into 8 segments of 20 seconds of intense training (170% VO2max) and 10 seconds of rest. Long story short, both groups showed improvement in their cardiovascular systems, but group TWO showed significant improvement with their anaerobic systems. 

So let's back up again. If you noticed, group TWO worked at 170% of their VO2max. Yeah, not a lot of people are capable of this intensity. So when people say they do Tabata training, know that they are probably not doing True Tabata. But the point is, if you are challenging yourself beyond your regular workouts, you will reap some nice returns. But the key is that the interval has to be challenging enough to make you feel that 20 seconds is all you can do of that activity. You're aiming to get your heart rate up and feel that lactic acid burn in your muscles. (No, lactic acid is not what makes you sore. It's just that your muscles have run out of oxygen at the moment to perform the activity and the waste product is lactic acid. But that's a whole other topic…) Anyhoo, what is challenging to you might be easy to me, and vice versa, depending on our current fitness levels. Just remember, we are doing intervals for short by intense periods of time. Hard enough to leave us breathless and with that lactic acid burn in our working muscles that require us to say "uncle!" at the end of the 20 second interval. 

If you're wondering how long the intervals are, let me describe what I do. I'm certified by Tabata Bootcamp and we have 3 methods of "Tabata" Training. 

True Tabata, as described above, though not quite as intense, doing 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off for 4 minutes/8 cycles total.

Tabata Type follows the 20:10 interval but you can add variety to the moves, so I might have a client jump rope for two intervals then jump rope on one foot, then the other foot for the last interval.

And lastly, Tabata Timing, where basic exercises are done in series of hard, harder, hardest in intervals of 40:20, 30:15, 20:10 respectively. 

Still wondering about this "after burn"? It's also termed Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption or EPOC. You can read more about it here.

So that's a brief lesson on Tabata training. Really, it's just another method of interval training, but since the intervals are so short, you can really push yourself, since you only have to do it for 20 seconds at a time, right?

Is this method safe for anyone? Well, that depends. If you are a long term couch potato and go to a hardcore gym where trainers are like drill sergeants, yell in your face, and expect everyone to do 8 cycles of burpees, absolutely not! But if your trainer can show you ways to incorporate low impact modifications, and not expect you to go full bore, but get you to do more than sitting on the couch, then maybe so. Best to talk to your doctor first. Well, actually I'm supposed to say that, but a lot of doctors don't know crap about exercise programs. They just want you to exercise but don't give specifics, so get clearance to exercise from him/her and then talk to a professional trainer who can help you listen to your body and start off on the right foot.

Hope that all makes sense. If not, feel free to ask questions! That's what I'm here for…

I'll be designing a new Tabata Bootcamp workout plan, that incorporates nutritional help, DIY morning videos to kick start your day and weekly healthy-lifestyle homework, so stay tuned!

Special Deals for Special Peeps!

OK! Now that we're putting the finishing touches on the studio, it's time to sell it! No, not sell the studio but sell my services. I have all kinds of ideas, so I'm excited to start transferring those ideas into actual hands-on coupons and specials to help wrangle up new folks to train/play with us, plus reward my regulars for their overall awesomeness.

First order of business? My Wooden Nickels. The reason I'm posting it here, is so folks who actually read the blog, will know what the hell I'm talking about when I start doling them out. Consider this post like the fine print.

Take It Outside Fitness Wood Nickels*

So here's the deal. I got some little wooden nickels made and they look like this. Cute, eh? Everyone loves prizes, and everyday I'll be passing these chips out. So read up on how you can earn them, then how you can redeem them.

Here's How to Earn Them

• Earn one each time you walk, bike, carpool to class.  
• Trade your bus ticket for one
• Refer a friend and earn 20 of them!
• Receive 10 on your birthday.
• Get one when you participate in theme day, such as Wear Pink Day or dress for the holiday. I'll probably post themes on Facebook, so be sure to become a fan.
• Or just earn them for random acts of community kindness. You help folks in class, volunteer somewhere or anything else I love about you.
• Earn them for progress. You can do 3 more push ups this week than last? Cool beans! Here's a nickel. Which reminds me: I need to start our quarterly fitness assessment meetings, so stay tuned.
• * if someone can come up with a cute, clever name for these chips, they'll earn another 10! Yes, I'm the final judge. :-)

Here's How to Spend Them

First of all, each chip is worth 50 cents! Here's how you can redeem them. As time goes by, I'll be tweaking this list, so stay tuned. And you have to actually turn them into me to redeem them, so don't lose them! Or at least lose them somewhere others can find them and redeem them for a free class. :-)

• discounts on punchcards
• discounts on training sessions and packages
• merchandise such as t-shirts and crafty goodness I make (I better up my inventory!)
• Take It Outside Fitness gift certificates
• donate them to the Take It Outside Fitness scholarship program. (more about this to come) 

Panda finds them to be
 delectable chewies.**
"Holy cow, there's so many!" 

"Who me? I would never
chew these up."
Liar, liar, pants collar on fire.** 

So there you have it. Like I said, I'll be tweaking this offer over time, but this should get us started! May the collecting begin!

* if someone can come up with a cute, clever name for these chips, they'll earn another 10! 
** no animals where harmed in the making of this post.

Happy Anniversary, Take It Outside Fitness!

When people ask me how I started Take It Outside Fitness I tell them this: Ten years ago I was working at a community center where I taught water aerobics and offered personal training. One day the manager frantically asked me to sub a Step Aerobics class. Who me? I don't teach Step! I said I'd be happy to come up with a circuit class as an alternative and she took it.

The class participants were all friendly and enjoyed the format. So much so that three of them came up after class and wanted to know where else I taught this circuit format. I told I had been toying with the idea of starting outdoor circuit classes, they all gave me their contact info, said, "I'll come! Just tell me when and where!"  and the rest is history.

Those three ladies were some of my first class peeps. One of them moved away, but two of them still train with me today. How's that for retention!? :-) Friendships will do that. :-)

Anyhoo, that's how it all started.

Many thanks goes out to everyone who's help make Take It Outside Fitness what it is. Special thanks goes out to Gayle, Christa, and Jen for cheering me on at that very first Step Aerobics class that wasn't. And thank goodness for that! :-)

A gigantic thanks goes out to my husband, Corey, who has seen it all, listened to me babble on about the psoas muscle and programing ideas, plus built me the most rockin' studio around.

XXOO to you all!

Kristin


I was thinking that since it's my Ten Year Anniversary, I should do a 10 for 10 offer, so here it is! Happy anniversary to you!

Small print: Offer applies to regularly scheduled classes/sessions on the calendar. One coupon per person. If you are a current student, you can take advantage of this offer and active the discounted card when your current card expires. Otherwise, card expires 8 weeks from date of purchase. Other restrictions may apply that I haven't considered yet, because I'm rushing to post this ASAP. Offer expires at the end of May 2013, unless it's super popular and I run it a bit longer. You never know, so don't just sit on this and wait, email me to get your 10-Small Group Session Punchcard for $100!

Motivational Monday

I want to share this video with you because we all know someone in our lives who needs and wants to live a healthier life, but at the same time is a bit anxious to start.

I'll be honest. I hate the gym too. But I love the way I feel when I move my body, challenge myself. Break a sweat and breathe a bit faster. I also love being outdoors, where the fresh air and green surroundings clear my head and help me relax.

A big thanks goes out to Jen Neitzel again for another inspiring video. Give a play, and I hope you'll share it with your friends too.





Thanks again, Jen! You rock!

Sprouted Chickpea-Potato Curry Soup

I've been playing around with sprouted seeds, nuts and legumes a bit lately. Why? Because some think that when you sprout a seed, nut or legume, you end up with something that is easier to digest and healthier. I won't argue the merits of sprouted vs non, but I will say it's super easy. Yes, it takes time, but it's hands-off time. You just soak them overnight, then rinse and drain them a few times a day for 1 day or 2 and then you're ready to go. For more details, check out these tips on sprouting. From there, you can proceed to my recipe, or just make the same recipe with regular chickpeas. I still suggest soaking your own fired chick peas from dry, since it's cheaper, a lot less sodium and no BPA from a can's liner. 

A bowl of Creamy Sprouted-Chickpea Potato Soup
topped with raisins and fresh jalapeños.

Creamy Sprouted-Chickpea Potato Curry Soup

WHAT YOU NEED

• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1 chopped onion
• 2 chopped garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
• 2-3 tablespoons curry powder
• 2-3 cups chickpeas (sprouted or not, your choice)
• 5-6 red new potatoes cubed
• 4 cups broth (I used chicken, but you could use veggie)
• 1-2 cups water
• 8 ounces frozen chopped spinach (I love that Trader Joe's has an organic version!)
• 1/2 cup Tai Red Curry Sauce (this is optional. I used Trader Joe's bottled sauce)
• one blender or hand-held emersion blender

WHAT YOU DO

• I don't chopped the veggies very small, because I blend them in the end. If you want to leave your soup a bit more chunky, then chop them to bite size.
• Sauté the celery, onions, carrots and garlic in your butter or oil until soft over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes.
• Add the broth, chickpeas, potatoes, water and curry powder and simmer until potatoes are soft.
• Give the soup a taste. If the flavor is too whimsy for you add more spices/condiments. I've been known to add tamari, fish sauce, salsa, spiced vinegar or sea salt. (No, not all of those, but some combo. Taste and play to get the flavor you want.)
• Lower the heat or turn it off. Then add the Thai Curry Sauce and spinach. (This cools the soup down so you can blend it easier.) Stir to thaw. You can serve it like this, or I use my emersion blender to make it a creamy soup. You can put batches of the soup in a blender, but make sure it is cooled so you don't end up with a whirling mess. Trust me on this!
• You can add it all back into the pot and reheat a bit. Then serve and enjoy!

I topped my with raisins and fresh jalapeños. I could've chopped a hard build egg on top, or maybe some fried garlic from the asian market. The possibilities are endless!

I hope you enjoy this and let me know how it turns out.

Cheers, ya'll!
Kristin

South Tabor Walking Group STARTS APRIL 10th

I started the South Tabor Walking Group last year, it was a great success, but it kind of fizzled a bit over the winter months. But it's back by popular demand! (Thanks to Joyce, Eric and Hildy for prompting me into action! :-)

South Tabor Walking Groups Forming Now

WHEN:     Wednesdays, 7:00pm

WHERE:   meet up at SE Woodward and SE 66th

WHAT:      a chance to walk with others and find walking buddies.

WHO:       Everyone is welcome, whether you live in South Tabor or not!

FEE:          IT'S FREE!

The goal of these walks is to meet neighbors and to team up for additional walks based on your own schedules. Plus you'll have an opportunity to talk with a Certified Personal Trainer/Health Coach.

You can email me at Kristin (at} take it outside fitness {dot} com for more details or comment below.

I look forward to seeing you soon!
People are always so appreciative that I've started this group. I plan to start more groups in other neighborhoods too, but really, it's pretty easy to start your own walking group. 
A walking group is a super-easy, fun way to improve our health and the health of our community. So let's take it outside, everyone!

How to get a better workout from your favorite exercise DVD

A precursor to the exercise video, by Bonnie Prudden.
(The woman behind the Presidential Fitness Testing!)

I love the concept of exercise videos. You can fit them into your routine at any time of day, save time not driving to the gym, avoid crowds, and play your own music. Consider that you can stream workouts, rent them from Netflix and check them out from the library, you can keep your workouts fresh and never get bored or plateau.

So when I started working with Patty* who loves her exercise videos, we decided I should review her favorites with her. We started with Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred DVD. I'm not going to go into all the details of how we modified specific exercises, but I want to point out some key reasons you should consider getting your trainer to review your video workouts.

If you're lucky the video exercise instructor will give good cuing and show modifications. (This isn't always the case!) But the instructor is showing you tips while pointing to another person, on a video. She's not observing what you're doing, and you probably aren't either. (You could workout with a mirror close by to check your form.) When I work with people I can give them just the slightest tweak and they become so much more aware of their bodies and form and really understand what they're trying to achieve with the exercises.

Not every exercise is for every body. Patty and I quickly discovered that some of the exercises, even with modifications, hurt her knees. So I gave her an exercise that targeted the same muscles as the video, but didn't negatively impact her knees. There were other exercises that I changed up a bit, and once again, showed her how to do with the best form possible, so she really got the most from the exercises.

Honestly I haven't played with
many exercise videos,
but this one I really enjoyed!

Focus, grasshopper. Patty is all about multitasking. And kudos to her for regularly popping in a DVD, but she said she thought she might be able to watch the video, do the exercises and listen to a book on CD. I poo-pooed that idea. Yes, music can be very beneficial to your workouts. Watching TV (besides the video) or other distractions, not so much. She found if she was really paying attention to what she was doing, she felt it was a better workout. I just reminded her of that point, and held her accountable.

Push Yourself! You pop in your video at home, no one is around, so who's to really hold your feet to the fire and push you? The on-screen trainer can't see you, so you could slack a bit. And if you're slacking, you're not really feeling what the routine can really do for you. Guess what? Invite me over and I see you! If your trainer can see you workout, cue and keep you on track, you'll know what you're capable of and what to strive for when you fly solo next time you watch the video.

So, if you're into the exercise videos, or are considering adding them to your weekly routine, ask your trainer to review them with you. Think of it like that weight room orientation you get with your gym membership. Take advantage of some professional guidance!

Anyhoo, this made me thing I might even start writing up some reviews of exercise videos myself. Do you have a favorite video you use? We'd love to hear about them!

* of course that's not her real name. :-)

Craft Project # 10 (& 11?)

Well, if I just made these, then we must be ready to rock the new studio space! Yahoo!

Yep, part of my 45 Crafty Project in a Year includes a lot of things to make for the new studio, and I just finished my Open/Nope sign to hang at the front door of the space. It's reversible so maybe it really only counts as one project, but this is my deal, and I'm behind schedule, so I'm gonna say it's two of the 45. :-)

Here's a shot up close. I heart fabric scraps!

This was based loosely on the Dream Big Banner project from Cynthia Shaffer's Stash Happy Appliqué, 25 fresh projects for fabric lovers. Such cute things in there! I'll definitely be borrowing more ideas before too long…

… Anyhoo, that's the latest. And yes, the studio is open. Not "officially", but tomorrow I will host the first class there! Pilates at 5:45pm. Yay!!!

If you want to be a part of it, register over here.