Just One

It's really hit me this week that old habits are really hard to break.  I think I've broken a bad habit and one little thing starts me down the wrong path again (for example: eating one cookie with my afternoon snack of an apple turns into 5 cookies).  I have come to one major realization at the start of my 3rd 6FIT session.  It is SO hard for me to eat just one.  One serving, one item, one spoonful; no matter what the quantity it is tough.

The beauty in my dilemma is that there are many goals within 6FIT where I can strive to achieve my goal.  Next week (and maybe many weeks to follow!) my goal will be: just eat one of everything except vegetables.  One serving of whole grains, fruits and dairy.  Unlimited veggies.  I think it will be mind over matter.  The 2nd and 3rd helpings are not because I am truly hungry.  I just think I am.  So I will allow myself to keep eating, but veggies only.

This is a good week to practice what I preach - it's Hunt, Gather, Grow week!  If you can't hunt it, gather it or grow it you can't eat it.  We get one immunity item throughout the week, and mine will be cheese.  1 serving only for me!  But I will look forward to that one serving with all my might.  And I will delight in it and then move on to the veggies.

Does anyone else struggle with portion size?  Any tips or tricks you would like to share would be MUCH appreciated!!

Round 3 in T-Minus 48 hours and a New Position!

I can't believe Spring 6FIT starts in 2 days!  I have definitely missed the structure of logging food, having the support of my teammates and feeling so competitive to get as many points I can each day to try to be the winner of the week.  
In addition to my general excitement of 6FIT, I have an added level excitement because I am now an official DanceFIT virtual fitness instructor! I am leading the (free!) 14 minute workout of the week on Thursdays at 6:15 (PST) and then teaching cardioFIT at 7:00 pm (PST).  I have this extra umph of motivation to create and lead the most awesome, sweaty, heart pumping cardio workout I can each week!  As I started telling people about this awesome opportunity, I was being asked a lot of questions about DanceFIT and Gina that I realized I didn't know; about how the studio was started, why Gina wanted to take on such an enormous undertaking, and what she finds most special about it.  So, I interviewed her to get the answers!  


1.  What inspired you to open up your own dance studio?

It has always been a dream of mine to own a dance studio. After dancing my entire life, I knew what type of studio I wanted to have, an approachable, friendly and fun environment that cultivated a love for dance both for adults & children! There were times in my dance career when I just cried for months on end about my feet, my turnout, my body and lack of strength.  After years of pilates & ballet training (side by side Kristi Yamaguci....she didn't know I existed, but she studied at my Pilates studio!), numerous injuries and many many performances, I was determined to run a studio that raised strong, athletic, confident and happy dancers. After receiving my dance teacher training, I knew my dream job was a ballet and fitness instructor! It was what I loved to do!!!

Upon my move to Boston after graduation I was teaching at many area dance studios....I didn't have a car and would ride my bike all around Boston!  I am a true Californian at heart and rode a bright blue beach cruiser....killer on the legs, and NOT very fast.  Quickly I started developing a following of dedicated clients and just wished a studio would hire me full time....but that isn't how this profession works, you have lots of little jobs at many studios.  With many trips to the library, a very effective entrepeneur class and very encouraging professor, I felt I was ready to do it! Business plan was developed, website was created and voila, DanceFIT was born! Fast forward 6 years and now I have an absolutely amazing and talented staff: Maeve, Alyssa, Kaitlyn, Lauren, Dominique, Ali, Dinna, Nicole and now YOU :)

2. What is your favorite Virtual Class to teach?  Why?

BalletFIT is always my favorite.  BalletFIT is the solution to feeling like a ballet dancer without stepping into a traditional ballet class. You get to enjoy the grace, beauty and physicality of the art form and enjoying all the athletic benefits of it.  The repetition and simplicity of it keeps the workout non-intimidating and approachable.  It's the perfect way to step out of your usual workout comfort zone and try something new.  I love how I feel AFTER balletFIT: long, stretched, strong and entirely energized! 

3. How does being disciplined in dance transfer to your everyday life as a wife, mom, sister, daughter, etc?

Ballet is very disciplined!  It requires stillness, patience, persistence and partnership.  When you reach the level of partnering in ballet, you rely on the man to lift you, turn you, and be your solid rock for so many movements.  How has this transferred to my life now? My husband Chris is truly the rock behind everything in DanceFIT.  I have to rely on him!!! He has truly been there since the first moment I met him at Gettysburg College in September 2001.  He keeps me sane, encourages me when I am exhausted, helps me develop my classes and is so engaged and active with the boys, it allows me to rest :)
Being a new parent has given me a fresh perspective in teaching the little ballerinas in a way that I have never dreamed of. The most important thing I have taken from my experience is that if you respect children, they will respect you.

My two toddlers keep me on my feet all day, literally....sitting is rare in my house unless we are in our awesome play boat reading books.  Dance has given me the energy and positive attitude to be extremely present and active in the boys lives! 

4. What are your goals for DanceFIT?

I hope to open a second location for DanceFIT in the next 5 years, and expand the virtual program to more than 50 classes per week, appealing to the entire US. 

5. In your opinion, what makes your virtual classes superior to other exercise classes available?

At DanceFIT Studio in Brookline we have created a motivating and encouraging FIT community.  Along with the virtual classes comes your connection to DanceFIT where your instructors truly care about you, your goals, the changes occurring in your body and your day-to-day life.  When you are taking a virtual class, we are not a recorded dvd, we are watching you, dedicated to improving your stamina, form & ability.  We all know how hard it is to start a fitness routine and then stick to it for an entire year, well, at DanceFIT people have stuck for 6 years, and we are starting to see that with our virtual program.  Once they take the first 2 classes they are hooked. We realize the virtual program is not for everyone, some people need to be in the studio physically next to others to stay motivated, but as a parent, I now realize how hard it is to get ANYTHING done and if exercising weren't a part of my job, I feel like it would get put on the back burner too.  I think virtual classes are the perfect solution for busy parents and on-the-go professionals.

Thanks for asking me to be a part of this interview.  We are incredibly excited to have you on our virtual staff! 

Gina Fay

 

Two other in-studio instructors are teaching virtual classes starting in April.  Anyone is welcome in these classes!!  For more information and to view the class schedule please visit: 

http://dancefitstudio.com/virtual.php 

Join Me!

I started reading Michael Pollan's 'In Defense of Food' yesterday.  This book provides a lot of the base rules for the 6FIT program that I do through dancefit studio.  Eating healthy (read - naturally).  Exercising regularly. Making a healthy lifestyle for yourself!

You can participate remotely.  That means, you commit to exercising 6 days a week (walking counts!) including 3 virtual dancefit classes per week.  You are one in a team of 6.  You communicate primarily through a Google doc spreadsheet in which you list your goals for the week, support and receive support from your teammates and log all of your food intake, water, sleep and exercise.  It's an all in one spreadsheet!  Logging food, sleep, etc takes about 20 minutes per day.  Feeling in a rut?  Just drop a comment on that day's page and you have a support system of 5 other people who will do their best to boost you and help you through it.  And you are always just an email away from getting support from Maeve or Gina, the instructors of 6FIT who can provide more specific and professional suggestions.

The cost for the 6 weeks is only $180 for remote participants which includes 18 virtual (Skype) classes!

I would LOVE to have old friends and new, family and old teammates / classmates join me for the next 6FIT.  We kick off Monday March 26th!

For more information, testimonials, and to register visit: http://dancefitstudio.com/6fitre.php

Healthy recipes seem few and far between

I am an avid user of 'All Recipes' for fun new recipes.  I usually use it for the "best" recipes of certain categories: soups, comfort foods, salads, etc.  As of late, I enjoy searching on Pinterest the most.  I could spend hours on this website!  Recipes, crafts, holiday and style inspiration - it's all there.  But I realized the other day that the majority of the recipes that people were posting there are very unhealthy.  And LOTS of desserts!  I wasn't doing myself a favor by planning my meals in advance when half the meals each week were some sort of "pasta + cheese + meat" dish.  Sigh.

So I went back to an old favorite and was just DELIGHTED to see the first recipe under "breakfast" included kale!  The Pioneer Woman started a show on Food Network after her world famous blog attracted so many viewers.  For those of you who haven't heard of her, check it out!  She is such a down to earth woman and I love her style of cooking.  But she lives on a ranch and cooks a lot of meat "comfort" dishes.  Regardless, I cooked up some sausage and kale breakfast strata for tomorrow and feel so good about it because even though there is sausage and cheese in it, there is also kale.  One step in the right direction!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/01/sausage-kale-strata/