Kickboxing Meets Yoga in Kickboxing/Yoga Fusion

Kickboxing/Yoga Fusion??? What the heck is it and what should I expect?

Kickboxing is a well-known sport that combines kicking and punching on bags that burns an insane number of calories while delivering on the fun. Yoga, also well-known in the exercise world as a floor-based spiritual meditation, strengthens and lengthens muscles in a gentle and relaxing manner. While we know them very well independently, how in the world did this concept evolve and how does it work?

 “The fusion class was really the brainchild of Amanda [Girl Fight Fitness founder] and Jennifer Venditti from Lilananda Yoga that was inspired by our year of sharing a studio,” says Jeanna, a Girl Fight Senior Trainer. For those of you that are unfamiliar, Lilananda Yoga was looking for a space last year to grow their brand and Amanda welcomingly invited them into her Burnt Hills Girl Fight location. Not only did she allow them to create a space customized to the aesthetic/feel of their own brand, but she wanted to further collaborate on dual classes! While Lilananda Yoga has since acquired their own space, the fusion class remains on the Girl Fight schedule due to popular demand.

Girl Fight Fitness, a true pioneer in the rapidly changing fitness environment, offers this class as an option to get your cardio, strength, endurance, and flexibility training in all at once! On top of it, you do not need any prior experience in kickboxing or yoga to participate. But before you say, “where do I sign up!?,” you may ask, “what will I be doing exactly?”. Let us assure you that you won’t be trying to do a back kick on the bag while in a down dog position (which would be pretty hard to do!). Rather, the class is broken down into segments with the first half contributed to kickboxing and the second to yoga. Jeanna provides the typical class breakdown below:

·         Brief Warm-up

·         10 Minute Strength Training

·         10 Minute Kickboxing Combo on punching bags

·         25 Minutes of Yoga (Ends with Savasana - a pose that looks like you’ll catch some much needed zzz’s, but is meant for relaxation and awareness of mind, body, and spirit.)

·         Guided mediation (occasionally)

She says that the combination of these workouts positively affects mental health due to a release of endorphins, as well as, the mindfulness received in the practice of yoga. We hope you are as excited to take this class as we are to teach it!

As per gym rules, be sure to grab a pair of clean indoor only shoes and some water for this fitness packed class. Mats and gloves are provided, but please feel free to bring your own if you have them. You can catch this class, currently taught by Tori DeMasi on Tuesdays at 6:30PM in Burnt Hills and Corryn Andrianus/Tori DeMasi on Saturdays at 9:00AM in Burnt Hills. However, we are proud to announce that Jeanna Mead will be bringing this class to us at Latham starting in September! It will be held on Mondays at 7:30PM. Come kick it with us soon!

Girl Fight’s Guide to Healthier BBQ Eating

Summer barbeques and diets? Usually these two things do not mix, but we all know the inevitable BBQ invites will happen this summer. Still want to socialize with friends and be healthy? That is why Girl Fight is here to help you determine the best food choices to avoid completely derailing your fitness program with 3 easy steps.

1.    Eat the proper portions.

Now, we are not saying to be “that” person at the party by bringing a measuring cup or measuring spoons with you. You can still determine the right portions with simple hand movements. The Dairy Council of California has a fantastic way to determine per serving portion sizes*.

For example: We know that fats and dairy should be consumed less than grains or vegetables. The typical portion of cheese should be 1.5 oz. or one pointer finger in length, while the typical portion of grains (noodles) is a ½ a cup or a handful (palm)**.

TIPS:

* Screenshot the Dairy Council of California’s Portion Chart on your phone and refer to your photo gallery for easy reference!

**You’ve been caught: If someone catches on to what your doing, you can become the teacher and pass your newly found knowledge to your loved ones! They’ll either think you’re crazy (but still love you) or thank you for the insight.

2.    Stick to whole foods.

While you may love your best friend’s buffalo chicken dip (best in all the land), remember that dips and casseroles will have ingredients that you cannot measure. 

Stick to choosing from:

·         The vegetable platter

·         The fruit platter

·         The meat (chicken, hamburgers*, all-beef hotdogs)

·         Baked potatoes

·         Salad**

*If you have a hamburger, try swapping out the bun for lettuce or a whole split tomato (if available) like this fantastic Delish recipe!

**Leave the dressing on the side. Dip your fork in the dressing before a bite of salad. You will consume less calories this way, but still have the added dressing flavor.

3.    Bring a water bottle with you.

Some often confuse dehydration with hunger. This does not mean you shouldn’t eat food, but staying properly hydrated will ensure that you pile less food on your plate and therefore less calories. WebMD’s Shaw (2009) says you should consume a half oz. to 1 oz. per pound per day to stay hydrated. (i.e. A 150 lb. woman should consume 75 to 150 oz. of water per day). If you have a 24 oz. water bottle, at this weight, you will need to fill it five to six times.

Please note: You will need to raise the number of water bottle fill-ups on a hot day. Your body will deplete its water content much quicker through sweat, meaning you will need to replace what was lost.

Be safe out there and enjoy your summer BBQs!

-Your Girl Fight Family

Women Are Gaining Weight Faster Than Ever . . . And Here's Why

I feel like it is my responsibility as an ethical fitness trainer to stage an intervention for the majority of women.  In all my years of work and experience, I observe so many common themes that exist that not only prevent women from maintaining great health and fitness, but are actually pushing them backwards into states of poor fitness, stress, emotional depression, and other negative conditions that wreak havoc on our abilities to enjoy life as effective, strong, and happy individuals.

First off, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!  You might think your struggles are unique, and so you suffer them quietly and bravely (because to be a woman in this world, you ARE brave by default).  However, it may shock you to realize how many similarities you share with the woman sitting next to you at work, at the gym, on the bus, or on the bleachers next to you at your kid's soccer practice.

As a Mom, Wife, and/or Daughter, you ALWAYS put yourself last.

Your kids come first.  Your spouse comes first.  Your parents come first.  Your family comes first.  It is a very common feeling.  As women, we are the caretakers because we are so sympathetic to everyone's needs...except our own.  That is why our health and fitness takes a backseat to the well-being of the most important people in our lives.

The gym can be an intimidating, competitive, judgemental place.

Raise your hand if you've ever clung to the cardio area or the "machines" at the gym as you watched the intimidating dudes by the mirrored wall grunting and heaving weights around.  Or the seemingly-perfect Barbie-women in full makeup and high-end workout gear making us feel like we're doing something wrong (even though they very likely share similar self-image issues with us).  The modern gym is a place of judgement and self-doubt, building more self-hate than self-love.

Our society tricks us and lies to us about what our bodies should look like.

We see people in magazines and on TV and think it is effortless to maintain that standard.  We think that we need to cut out all carbs and eat salads in order to have our ideal bodies.  We focus on what we LOOK like rather than what we FEEL like.  We focus on being pretty instead of being strong.  We worry more about how others perceive us than how we feel in our own skin.

If we are stressed out, we think there is something wrong with us.

Take a second to think about everything you have on your plate today.  EVERYTHING.  And if you feel like crying about it, it's okay.  We take on a LOT.  And we live in a society where we are made to feel guilty about not taking on more.  But we aren't allowed small amounts of time to focus on our sanity, and THAT is screwed up!

It is no wonder why most women are ready to explode!

We literally have NO TIME for US.  We focus on others, we take on too much, we are stressed beyond belief, and our fitness and self-care goes on the back-burner (if not in the refrigerator). 

If this sounds like YOU, you've come to the right place.

I want you to understand that you are not alone.  There are literally hundreds of women I interact with regularly at my studio that share the same feelings -- and are overcoming them by taking some time to hit a punching bag with like-minded, strong women.

Please take some time to check out more articles.  You'll definitely find useful information that you can use TODAY to make your life healthier and happier.  And if you ever have questions, feel free to reach out.

Remember, you are NOT alone!

Tips to Stay Motivated

Pep Talk

This is the time of the year when all that New Year's resolution momentum starts to fade.  Either life starts to get in the way, we feel bored at the gym, or we generally start to accept obstacles that keep us from our goals.

Take the initiative to set yourself up for success.  Use any or all of the tips below to keep the healthy lifestyle momentum going:

• Find a workout buddy.  It's easier to get to the gym at 5:30 am if you know someone is there waiting for you.
• Find a fitness mentor.  If you'd rather work out alone, find someone who can help guide you with encouragement or can keep you on track when you're feeling unmotivated.  This can be a spouse, sibling, friend, or coach.
• Try something new.  Your workout might need a change of pace.  Try a new class or workout DVD to change it up.
• Try non-traditional exercise.  Indoor rock climbing, dance lessons, or even mall walking can help keep you active without feeling like work.

Challenge Workout

Complete 60 seconds of everything, taking breaks as needed:

• Plank
• Side Plank (30 seconds per side)
• Inverted Plank (like Table pose, but with feet extended)
• Crunches
• Reverse Crunches
• Supermans
• Windshield Wipers

Plan to Cheat

Pep Talk

Let's face it -- you will never NOT have junk food again.  No matter how consistent you are, there will always be special occasions, holidays, birthdays, or vacations to lure you away from your healthy eating plan.  And you know what?  That is perfectly normal.

Any diet that expects you to be "perfect" 100% of the time is flawed.  Does this sound familiar?  Your diet is so strict that you feel very deprived.  Despite your desire to stick to it, you cheat.  And you feel horrible.  So you keep cheating.  You eat as much junk as you can because you will start back on track tomorrow.  And before you know it, you have eaten almost everything in the house, feel like crap, and are disappointed in yourself.

This vicious cycle will continue UNLESS you PLAN for treating yourself.  Your diet can be "perfect" if it strategically includes cheats from time to time. 

Many of you have already heard me preach about the 80/20 rule and my specific way of using it ("Sunday Funday").  But this principle can work for you.  You basically plan to eat healthy throughout the week (80% of the time) and reserve the other 20% for occasional treats.  If you strategically plan your treats for specific days (such as a work dinner, Friday family pizza night, or Sunday dinner at Grandma's), you can both make progress towards your health goals AND feel like a normal human being who can eat decadent foods from time to time.

The way you use this technique really depends on your lifestyle.  If you find you have a couple meals a week that are nutritional landmines, use your treat meals for those and get right back on track with your next meal.  I find that saving my treats for the weekend works best for my lifestyle.  I eat super healthy until Saturday around noon and then I eat what I want Saturday night and all day Sunday.  The golden rule is that I can never eat to the point of making myself sick.  I just eat normal portions of food I am craving -- like mac and cheese or pizza.

Just like with your workouts, everything comes down to planning.  If you plan ahead, you can make fitness and nutrition a regular part of your daily life.

Challenge Workout

Complete 10 reps of everything, then 9 reps, then 8...all the way down to 1 rep.  Take as many breaks throughout.

• Triceps Pushups (on your knees or feet)
• Lunges (left leg)
• Lunges (right leg)

Get Back into the Habit!

Pep Talk

It's 2016!  Time to usher in the new year with a fresh start to your health and fitness routine.

But I'm not going to sugarcoat things for you...IT WILL NOT BE EASY!

The first week will be rough.  Your body will hate you.  You will crave junk food.  Your energy levels will go down.  By Thursday, you will want to give up.  DON'T.  This is NORMAL.

The most important element with healthy eating and exercise is CONSISTENCY.  It doesn't matter if you push to 100% every workout if you only do three workouts and then give up for a month.  Doing two or three moderate-intensity workouts a week over several months will make a bigger difference.

Here are some guidelines for getting started again:

• Start slow...if you are starting from doing nothing, plan on 2 workouts per week to get started.
• Set realistic goals.  Even 30 minutes of exercise makes a difference, so plan something that you can fit into your schedule.
• No matter what, eat healthy.  Even if you skip a workout, your healthy eating will fill the gap so that you do not lose progress.
• If you are tired, take a rest day.  But get right back into it the next day!

The first week or so will be the roughest part of it.  And then, after that, you will start to feel better and look forward to the positive changes that your fitness creates.

Challenge Workout

Complete the following exercises as quickly as possible, taking breaks as needed:

• 100 Jump Rope Hops
• 50 Squats
• 25 Pushups
• 10 Burpees
• 5 Lunges (each leg = 1/2 rep; both legs = 1 rep)
• 10 Burpees
• 25 Pushups
• 50 Squats
• 100 Jump Rope Hops

10-Week Challenge - Week 10

This is the final week of the challenge!  And, coincidentally (or not, wink wink), it is a little over a week from Thanksgiving.

To make things even more focused for you this week, here is a 10-day pre-Thanksgiving plan that you can use to get ready for the holiday. 

Holidays are a time for food, fun, family, and friends.  By following this plan, you can help to reduce your stress about indulging on Thanksgiving Day, because you will have set the stage to enjoy your holiday!

DAY 1 - Wednesday, November 18

Nutritional Challenge:  Eat a healthy snack 2-3 hours after each meal today.  Some ideas are a small handful of nuts, carrot sticks and hummus, a fruit-and-nut bar (i.e. Kind, Larabar), or yogurt with fruit.

Physical Challenge: 

Complete 5 rounds, taking breaks as needed, of:

- 20 Mountain Climbers (Each leg = 1 rep)

- 15 seconds Plank

- 10 Jump Squats

DAY 2 - Thursday, November 19

Nutritional Challenge:  Eat a vegetable salad and lean protein (i.e. grilled chicken, tuna, beans) for one of your meals today.

Physical Challenge:  Do a 45-60 minute workout of your choice.

DAY 3 - Friday, November 20

Nutritional Challenge:  Eat a piece of fruit before each meal today.

Physical Challenge:  Triple your trips up and down the stairs (i.e. instead of going up once, go up, down, and then up).

DAY 4 - Saturday, November 21

Nutritional Challenge:  Make your last meal today mostly lean protein and vegetables.  Try not to go too heavy on the carbs before bed.

Physical Challenge:  Do a 45-60 minute workout of your choice.

DAY 5 - Sunday, November 22

Nutritional Challenge:  Make a one-pot dinner that you can eat for the next few days for healthy lunches or dinners. Some great ideas are vegetable stew, chicken soup, or chili. Try using turkey or chicken instead of beef.

Physical Challenge:  Take a walk today.  If you don't like walking in the cold, do some shopping and walk at a brisk pace throughout the store.

DAY 6 - Monday, November 23

Nutritional Challenge:  Prioritize eating a healthy breakfast this week.  This week will probably be busy, and you need your fuel! 

Physical Challenge:  Do a 45-60 minute workout of your choice.

DAY 7 - Tuesday, November 24

Nutritional Challenge:  Replace two meals today with vegetable salads and lean protein (i.e. grilled chicken, tuna, beans).

Physical Challenge:  Take three five-minute breaks today to take a walk, do some yoga sun salutations, or throw in a set of pushups, squats, etc.

DAY 8 - Wednesday, November 25

Nutritional Challenge:  Eat super-healthy today.  DO NOT SKIP MEALS, but remember that tomorrow will be a day of indulgence.

Physical Challenge: 

Perform 10 of everything, 9 of everything, 8, 7...until you get down to 1 rep of everything:

- Lunges (left leg)

- Lunges (right leg)

- Pushups

DAY 9 - Thursday, November 26

Nutritional Challenge:  Have fun today.  Enjoy the holiday and eat your favorite foods.

Physical Challenge:  Take a walk while the turkey is resting before carving it.  Not only will it deter you from carving early and losing all the juices in the turkey, but it will get you moving at least for a little while today.  Invite your family and share what you are thankful for while you walk.

DAY 10 - Friday, November 27

BACK ON TRACK!!!!

Nutritional Challenge:  Go right back to your healthy eating.  Toss the leftovers or send them home with relatives.

Physical Challenge:  Do a 45-60 minute workout of your choice.  THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TO GET RIGHT BACK ON TRACK!!!  Even if it's just a walk around the block.  You can even get your family involved!