Summer Fitness
By Darnelle Thursday, 13 June 2013
Strategies For Maintaining Fitness Through the Summer
Ahhh summer! The perfect time to get fit, get active and get healthy outdoors. Right? The truth is, as summer rings in with the sounds of the ice cream truck, your best of intentions often end up with the same fate as a raspberry ice pop in the hands of a toddler… slowly melted away before you know it or in a heap on the scorching pavement. At the end of three months you find you have accomplished the following: one early morning jog around the neighborhood track, 20 push ups at the playground near your campsite and a handful of hiking, cycling and canoe day adventures where most of the physical activity comes from wrangling all the equipment, kids and friends into a car.
As opposed to the shorter, two or three week holiday chaos in December, the summer holiday season lasts for three long, slow, sultry months. Although it is wonderful to take a break, kick back on your porch swing (do people still have those?) and enjoy an occasional ice cream cone, it is also important to make sure you are including some thoughtful, deliberate movement into, if not all, most of your days. Thoughtful, deliberate movement? What is that? Exercise! Can you exercise at least three times per week over the the 12 weeks of summer? Here are some strategies that will help you maintain or increase your fitness this season:
1. Plan ahead – Look at a calendar and mark your vacations and any other special events you have going on. Now look at the days that there is nothing special going on. Can you fit an hour of exercise into those days? If yes, schedule it! Look to see if there are at least three of those scheduled exercise days each week. If yes, that is great! If not, is there anything you can do to add some exercise into your vacation or special event?
2. Be flexible – Maybe you can’t attend your usual bootcamp or yoga class or fit in your usual Sunday run but maybe you can:
- bring a pair of running shoes on your vacation and explore your campsite, the beach, the trails, a new city
- workout at the playground while your kids play ( have a plan in place including 3-5 exercises you would like to do while you are there)
- ride your bike to your friends barbecue
- “run” errands – post office, drop off a library book, banking or even picking up small, light items from the grocery store
- drop in to a yoga class or check out a run club in different city
3. Keep cool – It’s hot in the summer and that can be uncomfortable and unmotivating. Try to workout in the mornings or in a shady spot. Wear sunscreen and keep hydrated with plenty of fluids including eating foods like watermelon, grapes, cucumbers and celery. This includes when you are not working out.
4. Find motivation in a group – Challenge your friends to see if they can stay on top of their exercise this summer. Pre-book or reserve your spots in group classes that you will be able to attend over the holidays then don’t forget to mark them in your calendar. Invite your friends and colleagues to join you in the classes or set up calendar appointments with your friends for your evening run around the neighborhood.
Nobody said it would be easy to exercise over the summer but it will be worth it when autumn comes along and you don’t feel like you are starting from scratch. Remember, “A one hour workout is only four percent of your day.” You can DO THIS!
See You at the South Hill Festival
By Darnelle Thursday, 23 May 2013
Girls jumping on the giant hopscotch on their way to a dance performance at last year’s South Hill Festival – Awesome photo by Harriet Fancot
Wendy, Darnelle and Andrina will be at the South Hill Festival this Saturday, May 25th from 12pm – 4pm. There will be tons of fun things to see and do at the Eastside Fitness booth:
- Help draw and jump on our Eastside Fitness giant hopscotch
- Show off your skipping skills
- Enter our contest to win an Eastside Fitness prize pack
- Join the Commit to Fit Challenge
- Get free nutrition information and advice
- Learn about our upcoming workshops, summer camps and other programs
- New members can purchase a “6 Pack” for $36 so they can check out a variety of classes (tell your friends!)
There will also be demonstrations and performances (including belly dance with Leona and the John Oliver drum line), crafts, games, a food fair, information about the neighborhood and don’t forget to fill in the survey being conducted by Vancouver Farmer’s Market to see if having some type of Farmer’s Market would be viable in South Hill. Hint: there is talk of a Friday evening “Night Market” featuring artisan products!
So come on out! Meet your neighbours, have fun and support our amazing, growing community.
The REAL Women of Eastside Fitness – Sierra
By Darnelle Monday, 13 May 2013
Sierra D.
When this neighborhood mom couldn’t find a suitable, local, affordable fitness class to attend with her toddlers after their morning nap, she decided to organize one herself!
