No classes until January!

Thanks for coming out this past session. We went from sweating it out on the Argyll hill at +30 to layering up by the Argyll gazebo at 0. (-6 windchill!). I love the challenges and character building weather changes can bring. Thanks so much for letting me experience them with you. Have a great November and December!

Absolutely perfect!

It doesn't get any better than this in the middle of October! Come on out for a fun workout!

Warm-Up!

There's nothing better than exercising to stay warm on a day like this! See you tonight!

Grateful in Vernon

Greetings friends in Edmonton!  My procrastination ends with this hello to all of you.  I've been meaning to connect because I think of all of you who I have enjoyed so much over the past 3 or 4 years through fitness and community. . . .and every time it's Monday, my body still REALLY wants to share yoga with you at Argyll!  Then it's Thursday, and I want to run around in the park and feel strong and vibrant with you!  Alas, I am happy knowing you're out there being Fittogether in Edmonton.  I am getting a chance to live my yoga-the excitement, adventure, novelty, uncertainty, and sometimes loneliness of change.  But still, I am so grateful to have acted on a dream, and remind myself of that on the less good days.  I hope you are settling into your fall routines, perhaps you've even been inspired by something or someone to stretch your comfort zone, or the limits of your mind and try something new, or more challenging-or less, whatever the case may be for you right now.  Instead of going on for pages and boring you, I will just give you a snapshot of some of the things in my new world;I went for a run the other morning among mountains where I saw 4 deer and a beautiful pheasant, outside my window I can see two calm lakes nestled in two adjacent valleys,(see below our view last night) it smells like the mountains in the mornings, I have canned peaches, pears, tomatoes, made salsa, jam, pickles, and frozen various other local treasures this September, I have to beware of rattlesnakes when mountain biking in nearby Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park, I've added a road bike into the repetoire of gear (pretty soon we'll need a spare garage for the gear-not very minimalist!), I've been to a party where there were a number of amazing and accomplished musicians (this does in no way include me!) -we sat out under the stars by a fire, I'm having fun yoga studio "shopping", and I'm trying to cultivate patience because it takes time and effort to find and nestle yourself in a community of caring and interesting people like yourselves!

Sorry it's so long!!

love and light, Sue

Park it!

Tomorrow night we'll be working out close to the park. We won't go far, so feel free to bring your kids!

Up and Downs

It's a perfect night to visit the tobaggan hill! No pyramids, just hills.

A Race Against the Sunset!

The darkness is creeping in a little earlier each night so our days are numbered in the ravine. We are going to have to make the best use of last few workouts in the ravine! Tomorrow night we are going to get our sweat on against the green, red, orange and yellow backdrop of the ravine and race back to the hall for some fun exercises, core exercises and stretching!

Fitness Class Inspiration!

On Tuesday morning I attended a fun new fitness class at Terwilligar. It was a super reminder how great fitness classes are as resource for new exercises and ideas! Tomorrow night I'm going to shake things up. The forecast is good so come on out!

Routine!

Summer is over, school and sports are starting up again, most of us are adjusting back to an old schedule or adjusting to a new one - it's the perfect time to start up or return to an exercise routine! I don't think there are many things better than the Mill Creek ravine in the fall. The temperatures are cooler and perfect for working out, mosquitoes aren't a problem and well, the scenery is pretty spectacular! Come on out tomorrow night at 6:30 and expect a fresh, fall, fun workout!

Thursday night in the Park!

Come on out tomorrow night at 6:30 to the Argyll Hall for a fun workout! We will be staying close to the park or within in viewing distance of the park, so bring your kids along. This is the last workout before the fall session and the school year so expect a grande finale to the the summer workout session!

Albertan Luau!

30 degrees at the end of August? Edmonton is becoming knows as the Hawaii of the prairies these days! So, throw on a lei and come on out tomorrow night and immerse yourself in the sounds of the rushing millcreek waters, the smells of the Alberta wild roses and move your fast feet to some beachy music!

Olympic Inspiration!

Were you sad to see the Olympics end? I was. It was so entertaining and inspiring to watch such fantastic athletes. Tomorrow night we'll be doing an Olympic inspired workout. Be ready to race walk, row and synchronize swim!

Okanagan Squatting!

For the last 2 weeks I've been exploring the Okanagan. I love the sunshine, water sports, the food, the wine and the great places to explore on foot. I don't think it gets better than a long run through the mountains, along a vineyard, beside a babbling brook, along a beach, well pretty much anywhere where the sun is shining and people are smiling. I'm excited to plan some Okanagan inspired workouts for August! We'll be squatting to pick some strawberries, reaching up high to pick some cherries, mountain climbing, water skiing and there may be the occasional post big meal burpee.

Cool Workout in the Ravine Shade

This weather is fantastic! I love the heat. There's no better way to embrace the weather than to enjoy a great workout in the ravine. Tonight we'll be meeting at the Argyll Hall at 6:30 and then heading to the trails where it's cooler as well as the great distraction of nature. See you tonight!

Happy Canada Day!

I hope you had a great long weekend! Lots of sunshine and not too many bugs! If you want to finish up your long weekend with a good workout, join me at the Argyll Hall tonight at 6:30pm.

I'll endorse that!

Just to add to Lori's thoughts below, I would like to wholeheartedly encourage each and every one of you to challenge yourself to accomplish something you've always wanted to, or something that excites you-even if, or ESPECIALLY if you aren't sure you can pull it off!  Whether it's a race, a trip, or any other positive life change, just start putting the idea out there.  You will attract others with similar energies, and then join together to "raise the level" of your experience, or simply gain the bits that you need to make it happen!  As many of you know, I am about to step off on my next adventure with my family; our move to Vernon has been a dream of ours for at least a decade, and not without being derailed in some pretty major ways at times!  I mention that only to illustrate that some goals take a whole lot of perseverance, and then, a whole lot of patience and cooperation from the forces beyond our control to really come to fruition.  I truly believe that there is a delicate balance between mindful, focussed effort,  and submission to let things happening naturally and in their own time-which often doesn't match up with our expectations!  Damn!  Ahhh, another time to practise letting go.  Well, in letting go of my small part of Fittogether Edmonton, I would like to thank each one of you for contributing your energy and personality to the the amazing community of people Lori and I like to think of as the amazing women (and Bruce when he came!) that inspire us and fill our spirits each week-and that is the 100% absolute truth! 


And to Lori, thank-you for being the best, most positive, enthusiastic, amazing, gentle, kind, and oh so strong partner in crime!  Long live FTE! 
(I know the tears rolling down my face are tears of joy!  I have learned so much from all of you.  Thank-you for that opportunity.)


Love and light,
Sue

Friends, Tri-ed and True

Well, it's been a while since our last update! Since our last post, we completed our goal and finished our Triathlon and finished it well! We trained hard and committed to many training sessions.  It was quite a journey! I have never enjoyed training so much, the workouts were great but the company was everything. It was so great to finish the race and feel so good about our results but there was a small sadness when it was over. Since the race it's been a challenge to keep up the same commitment, but we've stayed the course and even have some min-tris planned! So, once a race is over, it doesn't mean the training has to end. The training is just a bonus to spending great time with friends.

Working up to Working out!

There is nothing better than working out after some rain! Everything looks so green, clean and fresh.  If you're coming out to our TBC class tonight, expect an action packed workout! If you're coming out to yoga, enjoy a serene session in the comfortable Argyll Hall. Whatever you choose, it's a great day to get out and work your muscles. See you tonight!

Snow in May?!

Thanks for coming out to Strollers and TBC last week and sticking it out in the great outdoors! It was an interesting morning of sunshine, hurricane winds and snow all within 1 hour. The evening class met with much of the same elements. Only in Alberta!

Great Weather and NO Bugs!

It's a magical time of year! The days are long, the weather is nice and there are no bugs! It's a great time to live in Edmonton. There is so much to do and so little time. Luckily with the extra sunlight, it feels like we have extra time. Time to get a great workout, take the kids to soccer, take your dog for a walk, rake the leaves, plant a garden, go for a run on the trails... time to enjoy!

Blitzed!

Thanks to everyone who came out and took part in our Spring Blitz! It was quite a week! We started off with a balmy 24 degrees and by Thursday it had dropped 23 degrees and ended up at 1 measly degree. It was a fantastic week of fitness, laughs and character building!

This week we're back to our regular routine. Our strollers and TBC classes will be outside for the remainder the session. On Thursday night we'll be hitting the trails, so bring your water and get ready to workout on the beautiful trails in the Mill Creek Ravine. You'll be having so much fun, you'll forget you're exercising!

Vote for health!

Spring Blitz this week!

Come for all or what you can.  We will meet outside Argyll Hall Monday-Thursday evenings for a one hour workout from 6:00-7:00pm.  Workouts will alternate focus on lower and upper body, starting with lower on Monday.  Saturday morning you can have it all!  45 minutes of outdoor total body workout followed by an hour of yoga.  We'll cap that off with a short social to celebrate your success and enjoy the company of each other!

Please remember: no Thursday night yoga this week.

Being Whole. . . sometimes needs support!

You realize that from the beginningless beginning you have been complete and whole as you are. And this supreme truth is the most difficult for us to swallow. There is nothing to be attained.

-Zen master Dennis Genpo Merzel

. . but we're not infallible or always motivated either. . . so let us help you with that part! Come join us next week for outdoor workouts Monday - Thursday from 6:00-7:00pm, take Friday night off and then return Saturday morning for yoga and a small celebration of your hard work over the week! We will get Fit Together!

Egg you on!

We had a great start to our spring session last week! After a mild march we had hopes of started the session outside and then we woke up on Thursday morning to SNOW! And lots of it! The forecast us looking good for this week, perhaps we'll be hanging out at the park or hitting the trails.

We hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend! If your house is anything like mine, the cupboards are overflowing with chocolate. I love chocolate and I like having a 'free for all' kind of day here and there but after today, I am done with chocolate for a while! I'm ready to get back on track, are you? If not we're happy to egg you on!

Shake it up!

Wondering what to do with the center and leaves from your celery and don't plan to make soup today? Toss them in the smoothie!

Time saving tip: I like to make a whole blender full in the morning so we can enjoy a bunch at breakfast, plus I can save a big tall one for later in the day!

Though none of these ingredients are necessary, sometimes having the basic recipe makes it so much easier to actually DO!

The nuts and bolts:

1 banana

1 cup+ frozen berries. I also like to add a small handfull of frozen cranberries.

a splash of flax or Udo's omega oil blend (optional)

something green: a few celery sticks, half a romaine heart, a big handful of beet greens, salad greens, parsley is really good, cilantro if you like it. You get the idea, anything green!

1/2 - cup of juice (we like orange or tropical flavours like guava)

a fresh orange or two is always popular with the kids

add water for consistency

Of course anything goes, so if you have a favourite, we'd love to hear about it! Try papaya-it's very smooth!

nutrition boost tip: If you add vitamin D or C, probiotics, or any other supplements to your diet, throw them right in! Just make sure you know who's drinking so you aren't unnecessarily medicating your kids or something! For added protein, which i like for the lasting power, or post workout recovery, add chia seeds (a tablespoon per person or so) or hemp seeds.

It's all smooth sailing from here! I promise, you can get a lot of greens in this way without even realizing it- and the kids love them too!

Back in the Spring of Things!

I love this time of year! Everyone is smiling and there is great energy in the air. It's also a great time for accidental exercise! Cleaning the yard, getting the garden ready, chasing the kids or your dog, cleaning out the garage - there's so many ways to get a good work out, help someone else get active and get something done!

Our spring sessions start this week! Send us an email if you have any questions or would like to register. We look forward to seeing you!

Get creative, run outside the box to achieve your goals!

Sometimes the repetitive pounding of running is hard on our bodies. .. and minds! Don't be scared off by it though. Take it gradually, walk part time, and vary your workouts. I enjoyed a beautiful day and a great cardio and leg strengthening workout by alternating 10 minute bouts of running with sets of stair climbing in the ravine on Friday. Alternately, do some hill repeats on a long hill, but power walk them if it feels better. Struggling through pain or injuries is likely counterproductive. One of the most fun parts of training to complete a triathlon is that even though I know I want to get X number of workouts completed in a week, I know that I can substitute sports, or other activities for some of them and still achieve my goal-AND, I'm not bored!!!

Having a specific goal really helps to keep motivated! Having a community of amazing people to exercise with keeps the spirit tank filled, and keeping the yoga brain active helps to keep perspective and balance during the journey.

Perhaps you have a spring goal too?

Global Warm-up!

This weather is fantastic! Living in Alberta is pretty fantastic with a spring like this! On Friday afternoon we hit the trails for a triathlon training run. Although our feet were swimming in our shoes, we had a fantastic run and were pleasantly distracted by good conversation and Alberta blue skies. It won't be long until we're hitting the trails for our TBC class - can't wait!

Shovellers prize!

Even though you may have been a bit tired or sore, depending on how good of a snow angel you were over the weekend, remember that you got some great exercise and fresh air!

Check out this article. . . I enjoyed a 'slow swim' and a few minutes on the bike to remind myself what pedalling feels like today! High fived Lori in the locker room as she headed from pool to running shoes! The motivation and focus is SO MUCH easier with a friend! It's not too late for you to join in! More friends, more motivation!

The Cool Things About Being a Beginner Triathlete! Intimidated on starting your training to become a triathlete? Don't hesitate anymore with these six reasons why it's cool being a beginner triathlete. One of the things I thought about at this past weekend's Superfrog Half Ironman race was how cool it is to be a beginner to the sport and how you get just as much joy out of being slow as you probably do being fast! So, for those of you who have wondered whether you should try your first triathlon but hesitated on signing up because you thought you would be too slow or that you you should wait until you are more ready or you are simply intimidated by all those fast and fit looking people out there, here are my thoughts for you! 1. When you are a slow swimmer, you don't have to worry about too many people swimming over you because after the first minute, they will all be in front of you and you can have the lifeguards all to yourself! Yes, you can rest assured that there is special attention and extra people looking out for you because you are easier to spot when you're out there on your own! Of course you want to meet the swim cut off time (if there is one) and you want to finish the swim course (which you will), but the good news for us slow folks out there is that we will be well taken care of for our swim! 2. When you are a slow biker, you can thoroughly enjoy the sights and sounds of the race! You can appreciate the scenery around you, live in the moment, and thoroughly enjoy your race! You are not stressed out. It is after all, YOUR race! Just this past Sunday as I was coming down towards the finish of my last lap, I pretended for a second that the reason there was no one around me was because I was coming in first of my pack! 3. When you are a slow runner, you are less prone to injury. Unlike those fast runners who are aching all the time from the lactic acid that builds up from their workouts, I am never that sore! I may be slow, but I'm consistent and that's not that bad. 4. When you are a beginner, you can only improve and get better! The learning and performance curve is so high with every little bit you do, you will only see big changes with the time and effort you put in. When you get to be really good and fast, you have to put in so many more hours to inch out a tiny bit of improvement! 5. When you are a beginner, you are just planning to finish the race, so you don't have expectations on time performance and you have less stress during the race. Also, when you have low expectations, you always end up meeting or exceeding your goals and that feels pretty darn good! However, the COOLEST thing though with being a beginner triathlete is... 6. You get the same finishing medal and bragging rights for completing the race as the first place winner and all those other fast people out there! And the truth is...the majority of the people in the world won't know what your time means. They will just know you finished a triathlon race and that it was pretty amazing that YOU did it! Now what are you waiting for?!? Start training and find your first race! Marisa Hanke

Wanna Tri?

Well, you've may have heard us talking about our swim dates lately, and you may also know its because Lori and I are going to participate in the Coronation Triathlon this spring! Lori's done one before, and I have never, but have always wanted to have that experience. We're really excited about this opportunity to enjoy more exercise and friendship together. Yes, we are FitTogether!! If you are interested in joining us, we think that would be great! We plan to update the blog with some of the highlights of our training journey over the next three months. So join in and stay tuned for training tips and cameraderie!

For details about the triathlon, check out Coronation Triathlon.

Yoga update: Thursday class is on! 5 weeks, which takes us right up to Spring Break for $60. 7:30-8:45pm @ Argyll.

March April classes now taking registration at Yoga Within. Circuit/yoga fusion class (Shape Your Buddha) has a special promo to bring a friend and get half off! Thursday mornings with Sue.

What Next?

Shape Your Asana

Winter: Thursday: 6:00 to 7:15pm, January 12 - March 1, 8 weeks ($88)

3 add on weeks: March 8, 15 and 22nd. ($30 or Drop in $12)

Hatha Yoga

Spring (Mondays): April 2 - June 11. 10 weeks, Vicoria Day no class. ($120)

Thursday: NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY. Beginner focussed. 7:30 - 8:45pm

February 23 - March 22, 5 weeks ($60)

Spring (Thursdays): April 5 - May 24. 7 weeks, April 26 no class. ($84)

Total Body Conditioning

Spring: Thursdays: 6:00-7:00, April 5 - June 7, 10 weeks ($120)

April classes are scheduled indoors, the remainder outside rain or shine!

EMAIL TO REGISTER!

Sweet Potato Cakes and Jacks!

Great job everyone! It was another great week of workouts! During our Thursday night workout there was plenty of conversation about food. The talk about savoury delights was a good distraction and motivation to the exercise at hand. For those who attended our class with talk of recipes - please post them! For those who want to share some recipes, please share them.

If you're looking for a good sweet snack that packs lots of energy and calcium, try these candied almonds:

Candied Almonds

preheat oven to 250 degrees

Beat 1 egg white with 1 tbsp of water until the mixture foams. Add 1lb of almonds (or any other nut you like - walnuts, pecans, etc) and stir until nuts are coated with egg mixture. In a separate bowl mix 3/4 cup sugar (you can play with the amount here), 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon. Pour mixture over nuts and stir until they are all coated. Put nuts on a cookie sheet and cook for 1 hr, stirring nuts every 15 minutes.

Let cool and dig in!

Soft and Yummy Pumpkin Cookies (kids love these!)

2 cups flour (barley, spelt, kamut, wheat, or any other type, including gluten free)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp allspice

3/4 cup pureed, cooked pumpkin, winter squash, or sweet potatoe

3/4 cup sugar or substitute sweetener

1/2 cup apple butter, sauce or plain yogourt

2 tbsp vegetable oil

preheat oven to 350. Combine flours, and dry ingredients. In separate bowl, mix wet. Add wet to dry and combine. Drop by tablespoons onto cookie sheet (lightly oiled or parchment). Bake about 15 minutes.

makes 2 dozen

Lovely Origami Birds!

The last 2 weeks have been so inspiring! Walking through a sea of beautiful paper birds hanging from the ceiling is a great way to start any exercise class. We've had some challenging workouts and you all persevered and completed the workouts with hard work and smiles. At our Shape your Asana class, you all did 56 burpees and 55 walk the planks! It's so invigorating to go to a class with so much great energy. Thanks for coming out and making our classes so much fun.

Looking for a strength and flexibility class?

9:15-10:15am Thursdays at Yoga Within: Shape Your Buddha

We're hoping to find a few more interested people so this class can run! The focus is on strength and flexibility. You can expect to feel like you've had a good muscular workout, raised your heart rate, and had a good stretch by the end of this class. We combine circuit training, using all kinds of fun equipment like the Bosu ball, dumbells, stretch bands, and medecine balls, and yoga for a complete and satisfying workout!

Contact Yoga Within to register!

BRRR! Come out to class and warm up this week!

Don't let the weather get you down! Avoid cabin fever and feel great after a vigorous workout or a rejeuvenating yoga class. Drop-ins accepted in all classes this session.

Yay, classes resume this week!

We're really excited to get back at it and get moovin' in 2012! See you this week at yoga, Strollers in the Hall, or the fun new fusion class where you will get a great total body workout and stretch it out too! Check "This week" for details. There's still space, so give us a call or email and start your year off right!

**Schedule change: Thursday yoga (suitable for beginners) has been split into 2 sessions.

Jan 12 - Feb 16, 6 weeks

Feb 23 - Mar 22, 5 weeks

New Year Tune-up!

It's 2012 and a great time to get back into the swing of things! We hope you've all had a great holiday and are ready to lace up your running shoes, or take off your shoes and roll out your yoga mat. Join us at the Argyll hall this Tuesday and Thursday evening from 6:30 to 7:45 for a New Year Tune-up! We'll start you off with 45 minutes of circuit training and finish the class with 30 minutes of yoga to re-energize yourself after the holidays. The class is only $20 for both nights or $12 for one night.