Are your teens bored?

Are your teens bored?

Not getting enough exercise?

Looking for something fun and free to do?

Hey Taylor, what is there for teens to do at the Y?

http://pgymca.com/teens/programs.php

Bootcamp fail

So I missed bootcamp on Tuesday...fail. Not to make excuses, but I was busy? Ah, I'm lame. I need to work harder. A whole month has passed in Prince George and I am no fitter.

Ugh wedding! I have an appointment for my dress fitting in December. I need to do better... times running out.

When I try to make excuses I need to tell myself to just...

Zumba Zumba

Yesterday was my third Zumba class. I'm starting to remember the choreography and as a class I think we look pretty good dancing as a group. I love how some ladies get really into the moves and it looks like they are having such a great time. Simply lost in the Zumba world.

To be honest, I had a hard time getting into the dances yesterday. I just wasn't feeling it for the first few songs. I'm so glad I go with Tara. Because if I didn't have a workout buddy to keep me accountable I may have slacked and missed out on that calorie burning hour. Instead I would have been sitting on the couch, probably eating popcorn. *sigh* Cheers to workout buddies.

Lucky for me, there are a few dance moves in Zumba that really get me pumped. They are usually the most ridiculous moves, but ridiculous things make me happy... and pretty soon I was lost in the Zumba world as well.

Popcorn Problem

My name is Hong Trieu and I have a popcorn problem.
Last night I emptied my last popcorn bag.
Since moving back to Prince George I have eaten 10 packages of popcorn. That's 10 packages in 1 month... When I realized this; I realized I had a problem. That's when I decided to go cold turkey.
How will I cope with this deprivation of my all time favourite snack? I guess we will have to wait and see.

I just don't want to end up like this...

Ballroom Sunday

Ballroom dance class was wonderful last night.
We had unfortunately missed last week because Graham was sicko but I think we played catch up pretty well.

We learned two new Rumba moves: parallels, and new yorkers, and we also had an introduction to the Cha Cha.

The Cha Cha is almost exactly like the rumba but with a "cha cha cha" in the middle instead. Does that make any sense? Nope... I'm not sure how to explain it. Lets just say it was really fun.

Just like this.

Friday

It's for your own good...

Next week I'm going to go Y crazy and I'll have lots to blog about.
1. Ballroom dance
2. Zumba
3. Bootcamp... so scared
4. Fusion
5. TRX.. excited because it'll be my first TRX class

And these are just a few of the things you can do at the Y. Join me PG. Side effects include elevated moods and abs...

It's almost the weekend!

Almost Friday

Almost Friday... hope everyone is enjoying the wonderful sunshine.
I woke up this morning and I thought I was in a cloud. Is it always this foggy? or is it pollution...

No worries, just dance.

Y Citizens has been going great. Today we are going to work on team building activities. There are going to be a lot group planning activities this year and I wanted to kids to get to know each better and really learn to cooperate.

Wish me luck!

4 Surprising Tips for Getting Flat Abs

1. Pick the right protein: Choosing a protein that is rice-, pea-, artichoke-, or hemp-based may be easier on the digestive tract than many lactose, whey, and milk proteins, which can cause some belly bloat. —Maria Pagano, R.D., exercise physiologist, and Tier 4 coaching manager

2. Breathe: High levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, can cause the body to deposit fat around the midsection. By lowering your stress levels, less cortisol is released. Taking a few five-minute breaks to relax and breathe throughout the day can significantly decrease cortisol. —Jesse Schwartzman, R.D., exercise physiologist, and Tier 4 coach

3. Focus on your hips: Chances are your hips are probably tight. That means you’re in a perpetual state of anterior pelvic tilt, where your back is slightly arched, creating slack in your abdominal wall—not very flattering. Loosening and opening the hips will help you change the position of the torso relative to the hips, so posture improves and abs engage as you go about your business throughout the day. —David Harris, vice president of personal training

4. Become a coffee connoisseur: Instead of adding flavor shots or creamers to your morning cup, experiment with different blends, types, and flavors. The antioxidants and phenols found in coffee might give your metabolism a boost and kick-start your digestive system. Varying the kind you drink can maximize these benefits. —Michael Olzinski, exercise physiologist and personal-training manager

From Sarahfit http://sarahfit.tumblr.com/

Also for an awesome ab workout check out this video. I'm going to start doing this before bed! It's only 14 minutes! no excuses...

Paper Jam

They are always jamming when I'm in a rush...

BidiniBand

Oh just hanging out the the BidiniBand last week at the Y Champions Hockey weekend. NBD

Ballroom +

As you may or may not know, Graham and I started our first dance lessons last spring in preparation for our wedding this summer. We have now moved on from the Beginner Ballroom class to Ballroom Plus.

We're going to pretty much be dancing superstars once our wedding rolls around...

Last Sunday was our first class and it was a lot of fun. Of course we had forgotten all the steps we had previously learned about dance, but we had a quick refresher course and we were back to side stepping and rotating through our waltz. It’s a little bit like riding a bike.

I'm in the process of editing the Y Champions Hockey weekend video, so I’m sorry the posts have been short.  If there are any programs, classes, lessons, etc. you guys want me to try at the Y, leave a comment and I’ll try to be there.

I need to get back into a fitness routine anyway... I'm starting to notice the effects of too much vacation. Primarily in my mid section :(

Monday Night Zumba

Tara (co-worker) and I went to our first Zumba class last night, and oh was it bumping. There were 25 other ladies ready to get their Zumba on as well.

I don't have a lot of Zumba experience, but it really didn't matter. Zumba is all about moving like a crazy person and having fun. No dance experience necessary.

There are Zumba parties Monday, Thursday, and Saturday. So if you want to get your dance on go register at the Y. Also did I mention that it's now FREE if you have a membership.

Wow, there aren't really any excuses now.

And remember someone busier than you is probably Zumba-ing right now...

The Big Weekend

Hey! So the big weekend is almost here. I'm really excited to see the BidiniBand at Shooters tomorrow night. Also stoked about meeting Jay and Dan.

 hahaha... they're so funny

Tickets are still available for the event if you would like to check it out.

Y Citizens

Y Citizens? What is Y Citizens?

Well, let me tell you…

With my return to the Y, things are going to be a little different.  I am now also the program/facilitator of Y Citizens, and it’s a new program that I am very, very excited about.  Y Citizens is a program that is designed to give pre-teens between the ages of 10-13 a safe place to develop a sense of values as well as the skills, competencies and healthy behaviours that will carry them safely and successfully through their adolescent years.

The statistics out there are kinda scary! The after school hours have proven to be the most dangerous for children as victims or as victimizers whether it’s out in public or on the computer. Current trends indicate that children as young as 12 are adopting antisocial behaviours such as drug and alcohol abuse, crime, and physical inactivity. This program is going to be a place where children can avoid these negative tendencies. 

I want this program to be a place where these children can build their leadership skills, engage in hands-on cooperation, and learn lifelong skills!

What I think is going to be really cool about this program is that it’s going to be self-run and self-governed by the kids. I’m hoping to gear the activities to their specific interests, as well as introduce them to new activities that could spark their curiosity on the subject. Anyways I could talk about Y Citizens all day...

Registration for this program is now open. So if you’re interested check out our website for more information and registration details.Y Citizens Information

She's Back!

Hello Friends!!!

I'm back and so happy to be here. My summer was very wonderful but I am happy to be back in Prince George, at my YMCA desk, gearing up for all the new events and programs.

For those interested...
High lights from my summer
1. New York
a. running in central park
b. kleinfields
c. pastrami sandwich (the best thing I have ever eaten...)

2. Harry Potter Land

3. Engagement Photo Session (engagement photo's!)

4. First 1/2 Marathon

5. Finding my wedding dress!

To be honest, I could write a post for each of those high lights. Maybe i'll save those stories for a rainy day.

Right now I want to talk about the Y champions Hockey weekend that is coming up!!! (more info). I get to follow Jay and Dan around all day with a video camera and capture all the behind the scene moments. >I have a pretty cool job.< If you would like any more information about the event visit pgymca.com or click the inserted link :).

The Writing on the Wall Has Been Read!

So I accidentally deleted my last posting... sorry about that.  I'm mad - it was a good one!

I mentioned that our YMCA is making some significant changes to our membership and programming and today is the day it all goes down!  Our staff has been working on these changes for the better part of a year wondering asking themselves... how can the YMCA address the health and obesity challenges facing our community?  Children are overweight, they grow into overweight adults and struggle with sedentary diseases.  Teasing, bullying, low self esteem affect quality of life.  Facility access, cost, leisure time all factor into a famili's decision to be active.    We know all this  - there are a zillion studies that confirm what we see all around us!

Some of our changes will be adult memberships including youth at no additional cost, annual childminding flat fee, rates for Adults 55+ have been reduced (as has the minimum age) and tons more programming.  

Our recreation staff has great programs and activities planned - there is no excuse Prince George!  Come down and see what is going at the Family YMCA!  Talk to the staff, read the brochure - it comes with a free tour! 

The Summer Blog by Karen

So Hong is gone and I am taking over the blog.... she did such a great job - I am a little nervous about following in her footsteps!   

Summer has finally arrived in Prince George and our summer programs are in full swing.  YMCA staff is so great with all the kids I really admire their energy, patience and committment to making sure each child has a great time.    Every parent should feel very confident about leaving their children in our care!       We make sure we return them home at the end of the day tired but happy from a day of enjoying the great outdoors!

On that note, an interesting study was just released about the links between TV time and waistline size in children.  It was conducted by the Universite de Montreal and the St-Justine Mother and Child University Hospital and has been tracking the same 1300 children since 1998.   Increased waist size leads to health problems and lack of physical prowess.   When I compare my childhood activities to those of kids today, we definitley were outside more often.  However, saying that we only had four tv channels and video games were just something you played at an arcade!   Not really fair to compare?    More to come on this...

One more thing

Me last night packing for New York

I'm so excited! 

Have a great summer everyone.

Don't forget to still follow up on the pgymca blog. There will be guest posts, and more about different summer programming. Lets keep in touch.

And again with my theme...

Until next time...

So tomorrow is my last day as a pgymca intern!

On Tuesday I leave for New York and I am spending the summer road tripping down the East coast. I’m very excited! I’m going to be travelling with Graham, his sister, and her husband. We will be spending the money we don’t have, seeing things we never thought we never would see, and hopefully having the times of our lives. I’ll share my experience when I get back.

My internship has been an amazing. I have learned so much, met such wonderful people, and I am leaving with an experience I won’t forget.

I want to say THANK YOU to my mentor Karen for everything: the opportunity, the experience, the flexibility, and everything that I learned. Thank you to Faydra, my weekly boot camp instructor and extended mentor. And to Tara for the things you’ve taught me, sharing the social media bug, and chatting about weddings. I’m going to miss all of you!!

Also thank you to everyone who has been following the blog. I have been sharing my experiences for the last 4 months, and as a result I hold this blog very close to my heart. I hope by sharing my thoughts, miseries, laughs, and experiences I was able connect and relate. If my blog had an underlying theme it would be motivation.

Until next time…

New Aiyansh: Healthy Kids and Healthy Communities

We’re back! And Wow what an amazing trip. I won’t be able to communicate the full extent of everything on the trip through a post, but luckily I’m diligently working on a video encapsulating our 4 day trip into 5 minutes.  It will be finished on Friday (my last day as an intern!!).

Here is a short preview of our trip through pictures...

We travelled in a bus like this.      

And drove until we saw this 

and this

We visited the Nisga'a Museum ...

 and canoed like this.

 We arrived at the New Aiyansh YMCA and were awestruck by this.

We were welcomed with a traditional feast like this.

(Sea lion, herring eggs, oligans, salmon and all)

 And received beautiful cedar head dresses like this.

The next day we set up for Healthy Kids Day like this,

 and celebrated healthy communities and families with activities like this.

 We met so many amazing, adorable, gracious, and cute children like this.

We left exhausted, but so happy and grateful like this

Great Trip!!

Tuesday Motivation

Happy Belated Birthday Canada

Blog Birthday Celebration! Got this goodie from the 125 blog. 

Oh Robin Sparkles

New Aiyansh Trip

A note: I will be leaving for New Aiyansh tomorrow and will be returning on Friday, June 29th!

Our Y family is making the trip to New Aiyansh and celebrating healthy families and communities with a Healthy Kids Day event! I am very excited about this trip and event.

As a result, the blog will be vacant for these 4 days. But I`ll be sure to take lots of photo`s to share when I`m back.

Salad a Day Challenge: Day 4

Perfect salad for a summer's eve.

Strawberries, blackberries, slivered almonds, red onion, and goat cheese.

This was absolutely delicious. 

Burn

I thoroughly enjoyed this so I thought I should share.

Interval Sculpt

So I made it to Interval Sculpt yesterday. 10 points for me! (In my imaginary point system, YES!)

It has been hard for me to get motivated lately, so classes are just what I need.  I need someone to tell me what to do and when to do. No choices, because I will always choose sitting/slacking, perhaps even napping, instead of working out. Half of the battle is getting to the Y. Once my body is physically in a class, at the gym, or out on the street for a run, there’s no turning back.  And once I’m there, I love it. I work hard (usually) and feel so great afterwards. I must convince my pre-workout self that it’s worth it!

This is where time traveling would come in handy. If only my sweaty, red faced post work-out self could travel through time and tell my lazy, unmotivated pre-workout self that it’s awesome! And you’ll feel great and have fun, so just go do it… But if I could really time travel I would get my future fat self to come tell my present self to go work out or you’ll end up like me (fat future me). That’ll teach me. And in an alternate future I would be super fit and… No. I’m going to stop there.

Oh dear, I think this time traveling thing is getting out of hand. Sorry for the confusion. I’m even slightly confused about how many “ME’s” there are. Anyways, I’m on the right path to getting back my work out motivation.

Also my salad a day challenge is going great. I'm getting more veggies and feeling great.

Happy Friday Everyone! Here's a recipe for the weekend.

Chocolate Covered Kiwi Pops

Did you know that kiwifruit is low calorie, nutrient dense, and an excellent source of dietary fiber, and antioxidant vitamins C and E? Combined with potent antioxidants from chocolate, this is a recipe with a feel-good factor.

Ingredients

Makes 12 pops

Prep time: 10 min, plus drying time

3 ripe, firm kiwis, peeled and sliced into roughly 1-inch rounds with a paring knife

100g chocolate chunks (I used Lindt extra creamy milk chocolate)

1 teaspoon olive oil, or melted butter

Popsicle sticks, lollipop sticks, or candy sticks

Empty cardboard egg tray, or styrofoam block

Directions

In a small bowl, microwave the chocolate for 30 seconds, then stir. 

Melt for another 30 seconds, stir. Repeat until chocolate is fully melted, smooth and shiny (mine was done in 1 minute). 

Then stir in the olive oil, or melted butter—and mix well.

Meanwhile, insert sticks into the kiwi far enough to hold the fruit without piercing through the other end. 

Dip the kiwi into the melted chocolate, making sure to coat all sides evenly. 

Insert sticks onto egg tray, or styrofoam block, and leave to dry. This will take about 30 minutes, at room temperature. Chill it in the refrigerator for a couple of minutes to speed up the process. 

Salad a Day Challenge: Day 3

Baked Cajun chicken, spinach, baby tomatoes, chives, and cucumbers all dressed in a home-made Orchid lime dressing. (Kinda like a peanut sauce.)

Very tasty and the perfect dinner after a hot summer day. 

I spent the afternoon at Fort. George Park with my after school care kids. It was my first visit and the park was just so wonderful. 

I loved it so much I'm thinking about going back on the weekend for a picnic! (consisting of salad of course).

Salad A Day Challenge: Day 2

Goma-ae and green salad from Wasabi Sushi.

I split the salads with Graham, but I also I accompanied the salads with some miso soup, 2 pieces of salmon nigiri, and half a spicy salmon roll.

Yummy...

Day 2 complete!

Boot Camp and Sunshine

It was surprisingly beautiful yesterday. I think I may even have a slight sun burn. Has summer truly arrived?...

Hmmm, I'm not going to hold my breath.

 

Boot camp was a lot of fun yesterday.

I kinda tricked Graham to coming this week again. I invited our visiting friend from Vancouver to the class, which left Graham no choice but to come as well. My slightly evil plan worked and both of them joined in on the boot camp fun.

I started the class unmotivated (post from minutes before the class), but once I got into the groove of things I started to see the light. I started to remember why I sprint, lunge, and push. It’s all for me, my health, my body, and my mind. I get what I put in, so if I quit it’s me that’s losing.

I have also decided that it is way easier to be motivated when there’s someone yelling at you. Sort of like a personal cheerleader. Thanks Faydra.

I’m still working on finding my motivation mojo. But I think I’m moving in the right direction.

On a happy note my mini goal is going well. Day 1 of 7 salad challenge completed.

Cycling for Strong Kids

Wow! This story is incredible. Don's Ride Brochure

Don Patterson is embarking on a cross country bike ride on June 25th in support of the YMCA Strong Kids Campaign. What makes this even more incredible is that he plans to complete the his journey in 28 days, which means an average daily ride of more than 250km!

To read about Don's full story, training, and journey updates visit his personal blog at  www.ykids.blog.com

Salad A Day Challenge: Day 1

Nom nom nom nom.

This blackened prawn salad is a entrée at Hummus Brothers. It has beans, corn, feta, and a lime vinaigrette dressing.

Very delicious.

I gobbled this salad down for dinner last night. Day 1 complete.

Tuesday Motivation

Getting motivated has been really hard for me lately.  It isn’t as easy as it was at the beginning. I actually went back to read my old posts about motivation, hoping to get motivated, but instead I’m slightly annoyed. How did I stay so positive? I truly believed the words I had typed, but now I’m not in the mood, or to quote my past self, the “right mental state”.

I suppose it’s normal to have motivational ups and downs. I just wish I could get back into the up.

Lacking a fitness goal, and challenge, I think may be a part of my motivational lull. I have been thinking about different goals and I haven’t decided what I think is best for me. I enjoy racing goals but for the ½ marathon in August, my goal is just to finish. It’s my first after all. And saying that I want to get fitter or healthier means nothing, because how the heck do you measure that?

I need goals.

Scott McWalter’s post about setting meaningful, life changing goals really hit home for me. But I’m still stuck about what goals I want to achieve.

For now I think I’m going to start small.

For this week my goal will be to eat one salad a day. I will post a picture of my salad each day so that I can document my progress. (and because I need you guys to keep me accountable.)

If you have any good salad recipes I would love if you could share!

P.S. Potato salad doesn’t count

Mondays.

First of all, I like trees. And apparently they give good advice too.-->
..Secondly, today is a sleepy day. A two cups of coffee kinda day. 


This weekend was very busy. We had two of our friends from Vancouver come visit us and stay the weekend. We played squash, hiked, ate (a lot), and had fun catching up. 


On Sunday I helped out at the Y's Fathers Day Event and I got to meet a lot of cool families. I rode a plasma car for the first time and that was pretty awesome. (Kids get the best toys). 


The event went smoothly and was a lot of fun. I think it's awesome that the Y and the Parenting Committee are able to hold events like this for the community. Working for the Y makes me happy. Promoting health, fitness, families, and community makes me happy. I like what we do and why we do it. 


It makes me Happy.


I would love to know what your favourite Y event is or why the Y makes you happy. Feel free to use the comment box :)
 

Scott McWalter: Part 2

Now that I am officially a member of the PG Family Y again, this time around I've decided to pass on the undeniably terrific gift of maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle to others in two ways: one, by becoming a volunteer group fitness instructor; and, two, through motivating friends and family to get memberships. Since not everyone's psychologically wired to get up in the morning and go to the gym, it took a bit of work convincing people; however, I'm proud to announce that since establishing this latter goal, I encouraged my parents to acquire Family Y memberships in January, and since then they've lost a collective 27lbs. They've trained exhaustively and now feel better than ever.  

Some people experience a lot of anxiety when starting something new, such as a new exercise program. What they have to realize is that anxiety isn't the enemy; it's just a clear indication to what they need to work on first in their life. It's unrealistic - in fact, probably a little unfair - to sit back and expect the Family Y to do all the hard work for you. You have to earn it for yourself, and the most powerful way to do this is by setting goals. I'll never be able to emphasize how powerful setting meaningful goals can be. It's life-changing! I started setting goals two years ago - daily, weekly, monthly and long-term - and it's absolutely astonishing how quickly it changes your life.

I can honestly say that spanking goals is one of my favourite things in life; in fact, if it weren't for creating and following through with goals, I wouldn't be half way through the YMCA National Certification Course for becoming a certified fitness leader. It's a proven fact that once you write down a goal, you're more than 100% more likely to accomplish (spank) it. I challenge you to test this theory out - you'll be amazed how productivity-enhancing such a simple step  can be, and how quickly you’ll start receiving dividends.

Once I start instructing Cycle Fit this autumn, maybe you'll even make it one of your goals to attend one of my classes. Together, we'll be able to contribute to the Family Y of Prince George's goal of building a healthy community. I look forward to seeing you there :)

Scott A. McWalter, B.Comm.

Email:    mail@scottmcwalter.com

Twitter:  KitsBeachCanuck

www.goalspank.com