Ladies Kickboxing - Next Level Martial Arts Review

I had a chance in December to check out a couple of Next Level Martial Arts classes and then went back yesterday. I went for the ladies kickboxing classes and even tried one of the open gym nights on a Friday with my ass kicking actual fighter sister! Located on the southside not far off 91st street and Anthony Henday it's super easy to get too as well. 

The space

This is probably one of my favourite things about this place. There is a space where the kids can play and/or watch tv, or sit on some chairs and eat their dinner. And in the room I'm getting my sweat on there is a tv monitor so I can see whats happening. They are also allowed to come sit in the room at any time and watch what I am doing. 

The space is pretty new and it's bright and they have fun motivational sayings written on the walls to. My favourite one is "If you are going to doubt something, doubt your limits" -Don Ward.

The workout

The class is only 45 minutes, I think it should be 60 minutes, but it's good to get in and get out too. 60 would be nice for when there is some newer people and things need a bit more explaining. THAT said, once you get into, it kicks your butt! 

We started with a warm up that's a mix of cardio and strength and then we hit pads. You get partnered up with someone around your size and skill level. A quick instruction of whats happening and you get into it. I like that we build on things. So we started off with one punch, got good at it then add another, then add another for the combo afterwards, so you can take it step by step. 

It may sound intimidating to go by yourself and get partnered with someone you don't know, but you certainly get to make a new friend fast. Being that close in proximity to another and you sort of have to have a bit of instant trust. Each time I've gone and I've been paired with someone I didn't know, I felt like I made a new friend, making it feel very community based.

The sell

Well, I wouldn't say there is one really, aside from at the end of class when the teacher says "see you Wednesday right?" and you feel bad saying no because you work..... ha ha. There is a free week trial so you have some time to try out a few classes to decide. 

Overall I'm a big fan of this place. The staff are great and fun, I love I can bring my kids for no extra cost or trouble (there is actually a kids class that goes on at the same time too to be extra efficient) and it's great to try something new!

Check our Next Level Martial Arts on Facebook and Instagram.

Love, 

Jen the Bitchin' Housewife

Day 5 of Giveaways Do Some Yoga

Welcome to Day 5 of the 7 Days of Self Care Giveaways! 

I don't think it's much of a surprise that I think doing some yoga is a self care is it? Being a yoga teacher and all..... I even wrote a blog post a little while ago about how to treat it as a self care in THIS post. 

This giveaway is for a Half Moon yoga mat from Aurora Yoga Spa! Aurora is a newer studio in the city right in the heart of downtown on Jasper Ave! This yoga mat also comes with a carrying strap so you can just roll up, toss it over your shoulder and come to class! So go over to the Aurora Yoga Spa page  and like them the head over to the Bitchin' Housewife Facebook page and tag a friend you think might need some self care! 

Extra opportunity for entries if you head over and follow along on the  Bitchin' Housewife Instagram page!

Love, 

Jen The Bitchin' Housewife

Fit Chick Friday - Ginel Stephenson

We are an amazing community of Fit Chicks right here in Edmonton and I want to highlight that community. Each week I'll be featuring a new new Fit Chick on Friday's. Learn about trainers, teacher, instructors or you ladies who are just into a good ol workout!

This week I had to have my friend Ginel Stephenson on. We met in a moms group when our now almost 6 year olds were tiny 4/5 week old babies! She is one fit and fun mama!

Certifications:

Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology, CSEP CPT and CEP CrossFit Level 2

Where to find Ginel:

She has a garage converted into a amazing home gym where she takes clients through True Shape Fitness.

What are your specialties?

CrossFit style training, general nutrition, nutrition for endurance athletes, weightloss and chronic medical conditions. 

What got you into fitness?

Being a kid that couldn't sit still, I realizes that there was no way I could work in a career sitting behind a desk or behind a counter. I love moment and how it makes you feel.

What/Who is your biggest motivation?

Challenging myself is my biggest motivation. I am able to go out to my gym and work out on my own no problem, but there needs to be a reason for me to work out so it doesnt become mundane. Whether its getting a few kf's on a lift, decreasing my time in distance training or getting one more pullup. I enjoy fitness as a sport and tracking improvements and gains. I LOVE CrossFit competitions and ultramarathons. I have yet to complete one solo but am working on 120 km this year.

What got you into to training people?

It was a gradual process and many other instructors and coaches along the way. Wach different niche was foudn through different passions of others that I have been honoured to work with and for. 

What are some of your favourite exercises or equipment?

Olympic lifting, the squat rack and my incline trainer treadmill that goes 40% incline.

What is your favourite outdoor activity?

Trail running.

What is your favourite indoor activity?

Baking and reading the newspaper. (She said she's lame, but that sounds glorious to me)

Any advice you'd like to give to other women?

It's most imperative that you do NOt compare yourself to others. If we were all alike, earth would be a pretty boring place to be! You need to set your own goals and have accountability for those. 

Also, listening to our body. Mother Nature is pretty damn smart and had got us this far. Some days it's okay to sleep in past your 5am alarm set for a workout and just rest and recover. We actually don't make any gains in the gym, it's the rest, recovery and rebuilding time where that happens. 

Find Ginel at www.trueshapefitness.net on Facebook or her new Instagram account!

A shot of Ginel and her husband running together. 

Day 3 of Giveaways Barre Classes

Welcome back to Day 3 of the 7 Days of Self Care Giveaways! 

Not all self care is about relaxing. I like taking care of my body in ways of moving it. I am a HUGE advocate for exercise (maybe you've noticed?). It's a great way to release some of those "happy endorphins". I almost always feel great after a workout, especially on "those crappy days".

This giveaway is for a month of UNLIMITED classes at the wonderful Xtend Barre Studio with a pair of barre socks and bag! I recently was over there for a class, check out my blog post about it! Follow Xtend Barre on Facebook and the Bitchin' Housewife Facebook page and tag a friend you think might need some self care! 

Extra opportunity for entries if you head over and follow along on the Xtend Barre Edmonton and  the  Bitchin' Housewife Instagram page!

Love, 

Jen The Bitchin' Housewife

Orange Theory Fitness Review

 

I'm sure you've seen or heard about Orange Theory Fitness. They seem to be popping up everywhere lately. But just what is it all about? I went on Tuesday to the Jasper Gates location off Stony Plain road and 149 street and checked out a class.

I went in the week before to check their schedule and sign up for a class and she told me I had to be there 30 minutes before class for orientation. Since I was in a time crunch she let me fill out the form ahead of time and only come 15 minutes earlier then class. 

I got a walk through of the space and quick meet up with the trainer before class. They went over everything I would need to know in order to be effective without stopping the workout to much, which is great to be able to just do my thing!

The space

The workout room is kind of cool with the orange lights. Definetly a different experience from a traditional gym light. The music was upbeat and fun and the trainer was that hard to find balance of perky, motivating and not irritating. (As someone who instructs fitness it's really a hard balance to find!)

The workout

It was a great workout for sure. I enjoyed that it was a group thing but you were able to really individually push yourself, especially since you wear a heart rate monitor. The monitor is then put on the screen and you can see what zone you are at any given time. The idea being you spend most of your time in the hard work but not dying "orange zone" or recovery "green zone. That's the THEORY anyways..... see what I did there?

K kidding aside though. We did some strength training and rowing and then switched and did cardio on the treadmills half way through.  The strength training was a tad easy for me, but you can add more weights to moves making them harder for sure. I suppose you want to reserve some energy for the rest of class too!

The cardio was good. I like they give variations for those who wish to be more power walkers and those more into running. I noticed they even had a few bikes and an eliptical for those who have knee/ankles issues or whatever. 

The workout was great. Since you wear a monitor it racks your calories burned which I love. I use my MyZone Heart rate monitor all the time, so knowing my caloric range I was in to compare to a normal workout of mine was great. The workout gets emailed to you after so you can keep track as well. Only thing I wish they did in the email was tell you who was the teacher. I wish I remembered her name for in case I wanted to go again. She was pretty awesome. 

The sell

They certainly have got their sales plan down on working with you after the workout. Not to much pressure, but they get to the point. I've heard people say it's expensive and some say it's not bad. The pricing seemed a bit awkward to me with basing it off working out twice a week for the month. My three thoughts on this:

• Interval training (which this is) should really only be done every second or third day, so makes sense to sell it that way. 
• It misses the fact that maybe you need to run or have weight in between and you either still need a membership or something else to supplement. For people new to fitness, likely not so much, but since I like to workout 6 days a week I would. 
• Considering the fact there are only so many people allowed per class and you don't have to think about making your own workout AT ALL, paying the price is similar to as if working with a trainer at a gym anyways. 

So with that info you can decide if it's pricey for you and your lifestyle. 

The good

• GREAT workout
• I love the heart rate tracking and caloric tracking
• The place has certainly got a fun vibe. 
• You don't have to plan your workouts. You just go and do it! Great for beginners.

The not so good:

• It may seem pricey
• You might have to supplement workouts still
• No childcare

Have you tried out a class yet?

Love,

Jen The Bitchin' Housewife

7 Days of Self Care Giveaways

February 1st-7th we are doing 7 days of Self Care giveaways. Ways to find some time for yourself. Each day we will be featuring a new self care on Facebook and Instagram and all you have to do is follow along and tag your friends that you think need some self care! 

Great Canadian Fit Fest Contest

So it's winding down the first month of a new year. Where are you on your fitness goals? If fitness is something new for you and you dread going everyday, maybe it's time to check out something new!

Luckily the weekend of February 4th and 5th is the Great Canadian Fit Fest! A two day festical where people of all types can go and check out some of the latest trends in fitness and studios our city has to offer. 

Ever thought that acro yoga looks cool? Yeah they have that. Wanted to see what crossfit was all about? They have that too. Roller Derby? Sign me up! This is the perfect time to check out a few new things and Love Your Fitness.  

People have a hard time "getting into" fitness and I think it's mostly because they don't find something they love. Fitness isn't just treadmills and heavy weights. In this modern age and wonderful city there are so many things to do! 

You can head over to the Great Canadian Fit Fest Website and get 20% off your tickets using the code YEGFIT.

Want to win a weekend pass? Comment below telling me what you want to try out! For a second entry head over to my Instagram page! Contest closes February 1st.

Couch To 5km in 8 weeks

Last week on my Facebook page I posted a video about how I "got into" fitness. My journey mostly started with a couch to 5km program. I set a goal in mind to run a 5km run that was being put on and I followed a program I found on the internet. I don't have that specific program anymore, but I put together a version similar to the program I did. 

A few tips:

Make the runs on alternate days, so for example if you run on Monday, don't run on Tuesday, but run again on Wednesday or Thursday. 

Spend 5 minutes doing a warm up walk ahead of time.

Stretch afterwards.

Drink water.

Enjoy yourself! Each time you lace up, think about how excited you are to be on your journey and imagine yourself crossing the 5km finish line! 

Also, check out the awesome Yoga For Runners workshop I am running Febraury 25th! We will chat about about breathing techniques, do a yoga class specific to running and end in some restorative postures to help the body recover. Check out the Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/706368609545879/

Love, 

Jen The Bitchin' Housewife

Chopped Leaf Turn Over A New Leaf Contest

New year, new leaf to turn over. I don't care what anyone says about resolutions and "New Year, New Me". I love a fresh year, fresh start with the intention of changing something for the better. 

January 1st The Chopped Leaf, launched their Turn Over a New Leaf program. For the month of January, offering healthy tips on their Facebook Twitter and Instagram pages with a chance to enter daily to win $15 gift certificates as well as be entered to win the grand prize worth $2500 including  $1000 Chopped Leaf gift card and a year membership to Goodlife and a spa and wellness package! 

So head on over to follow them and get in on the daily draws and  enter to win for the grand prize HERE.

Fear, Faith and The Road Ahead

I was on my way home last night from a day of fun at my Dad's. He lives about 45 minutes outside of the city and it was dark out. I actually hate nightime driving. Especially on the highway. But I do it, because it's worth spending the time out there all day. 

Then on the drive I started thinking about how I could technically only see so far up the road. My lights only reached so far and I wasn't able to see everything in front of me. I could see cars ahead of that space though. 

In reality, it's kind of a faith that the road is there and that there is no obstructions on it isn't it? I mean I know there is a road. I know there are people ahead on this road. But there is a the fear that I am not seeing something or missing something between here and there. 

Isn't that life? We are here and can see what's around us with our own lights. We can also see people where we want to go. The rest in between (the road) is a fear or faith. I don't mean spiritual faith. I mean faith that it is there, it will work out and that we have the reaction time if there is something blocking our way. 

What if we applied that to our lives? To our goals? What if you took your New Years Resolution or whatever goal you are working on currently and had faith the road was there? What if we sat for a moment and imagined our goals as the car lights in front. We see the cars ahead, but some of the road is unseen?

We may not have the answers or see every little detail that comes our way on our way to where we want to be, but if we trust we are on the right road and keep driving along we get there.

Love,

Jen The Bitchin' Housewife

Self Love & Self Improvement

The world is full of mixed messages and we are in a time in the world where FINALLY marketing to us women isn't 100% about telling us that we are not good enough unless we are thin/pretty blah blah blah. We still have lots of work to do of course, but I feel like it leaves us in  a great divide. 

Recently I've seen some images shared by fitness mamas I admire Mama Lion Strong and Wendy Powell. I agree with both of these images.

Reads "If you ever wander into that mindset of thinking that to take care of your body + your emotional + physical well-being is somehow shallow or vain or not important, please think again. You have every right to feel good about yourself." 

Reads "Those extra 5-10 pounds, that place where your body naturally wants to be -that's your life. That's your late night pizza with your man, that Sunday morning bottomless brunch, your favourite cupcake in the whole entire world because you wanted to treat yourself. Those extra 5-10 pounds are your favourite memories, your unforgettable trips, your celebrations of life. Those extra 5-10 pounds are your spontaneity, your freedom, your love. 

I whole heartedly agree with both of these statements and adore these women sharing them. That said, it seems confusing right? A message of "if you want to change, that's okay." and a message of "love those things you may wish to change."

The struggle is real my friends. Finding the balance between these two is very hard. And I will let you in on a little secret. I don't know the answer or what to tell you. I feel this struggle all the time. I don't have a tip or a trick to help you with this one. I just want to let you know you are not alone. 

I've been working with my own nutrition coach because I feel like yeah, there is nothing wrong with wanting to make some changes. Then much to his annoyance I'm sure, I see the other side of the coin and think to myself that I should just eat the thing or enjoy the wine and my body is perfectly imperfect the way it is, this moment will not last. 

So what do we do?

The only advice I offer is sitting with ourselves to see where things really come from. This is a practice of something we do daily, hourly, weekly whatever. I assure you it is not a one time sit down thing. Sitting with ourselves (also known as meditation) and discovering what we actually feel behind these thoughts. 

I wish you look in your journey and know you are not alone. 

Love, 

Jen the Bitchin' Housewife

Leg/Cardio Bodyweight Workout

Try out this fun home workout. Can be done all bodyweight or add weight to certain moves. For a real burn do it twice!

Fitness Gear Review - MY Zone Heart Rate Monitor

I've been teaching yoga at the RVX gym all summer and they have all their athletes wear these heart rate monitors. There is a big t.v up on the wall so the trainers can see their efforts in real time. Pretty cool. I enjoyed watching the heart rates go up and slow way down from the yoga I was teaching them. 

I was so intrigued that I just had to get myself one of these My Zone Heart Rate Monitors. I have to admit, I'm a little obsessed with it. 

Since it goes around the torso, rather then the wrist as in a watch there is constant contact getting the results of monitoring to be %99.4 accurate. 

It's easy to wear and you can't even see it under a shirt. 

It shows you on an app on your phone your effort. Showing where your heart rate is in different "zones". Where I am assuming where they get their name from. 

The brilliant thing about these zones is that you are rewarded points or as they call it MEP's for every minute you are in a different zone. The harder you work the more points per minute you get. Hence their slogan "Effort Rewarded". These points can be added up for challenges, personal goals or competing against friends. You can add your friends and see where they are at with their workouts. You can help motivate them by a little friendly competition. Not that I know about this or anything........ Oh and they just added an update where you can post a photo to your feed with your workout!

Since you also plug in all your personal info, including your age and weight etc it tracks your caloric burn during a workout. It's fascinating to see the difference from what the cardio machine at the gym is telling you and your actual amount. 

I have found myself pushing a little harder in workouts, if not because I see my heart rate in a lower zone, but because I want more MEP's! Either way I'm motivated!

The thing that super impressed me about this monitor is that I wore it during the Spartan Super race I did, running through mud and swimming across a river and it stayed in place AND it still works! I wasn't near my phone, but it will track up to 16 hours of your workout for you and upload it when you are near your phone again. 

Overall, I'm super happy with my purchase and continue to love my new workout gear. I believe you can get them online at the My Zone website or you can buy them through a local retailer like I did at RVX Factor Gym here in Edmonton. 

Love, 

Jen the Bitchin' Housewife

Self Care Sunday - Try A New Fitness Class

This week on my Facebook Page and Instagram I've been talking a lot about doing things outside of our comfort zones. Trying something new and bold and maybe even out of character. I even had a friend message me on Twitter about how she went out of her comfort zone and tried a hot yoga class and loved it. Maybe it's that fall air, but everyone seems to be ready to stir things up. I'm not much into astrology, but I'm sure there's  shift in some moons or something causing it! Ha ha.

So this, week's Self Care seemed fitting to be trying out a new fitness class. I will be trying to right about some local places here (leave me a comment here on on my media channels about where I should try!), but in the meantime I have a few great ideas. 

• You can head to your local gym. I personally may be so inclined to invite you to come to a World Health Club (ahem) and try a class. Or many. I love the variety from step classes, lifting classes, Zumba, yoga, spin, or kickboxing etc etc etc! 
• I also wrote this blog post about trying out a barre class at a local place called Xtend Barre, if you are wondering what that is all about. 
• At your local community league you might find Yoga, Zumba or Tai Chi. 
• Call up a martial arts dojo and inquire about a drop in class.
• Check out a Cycle Studio.
• Maybe try out a dance class!

Whatever you are thinking about trying, or have always wondered about, just try it this week. Jump with both feet in. Many places offer free classes for the first time or a special weekly drop in rate for first timers. 

To help maybe ease the anxiety, see if a friend or family member want to go with you. I bet you more people than you think have been wondering what pole workouts are all about. 

Also.... let's think about using wording like "I need more practice" and "this is a new way to move my body" then the usual things that come out of our mouths like "I suck at this" or "I'm out of shape". It's self love people, not a new way of finding self hate. We get enough of that, don't ya think?

Definitely come back and tell me how it went! Send me a message on my FB, Twitter or IG! I'd love to hear how you took a step outside of your comfort zone. 

Love,

Jen The Bitchin' Housewife

The Spartan Super AROO!

This past weekend I ran the Spartan Super in Red Deer with a good friend. 13.5 km and I think I read somewhere about 25 obstacles. Mud, scrapes, grunts, camaraderie and glory.

The Spartan races have a few different levels. The Sprint (5km), Super (12+ km), Beast (19+km) and the Ultra Beast (40+km). They run them all over the world. Sprints I believe you can find in each city, Supers one per Province/State and Beasts you will like have to do more travelling for, depending on where you live. 

A few years ago I did a Mud Hero with my sister. Same idea, it was 5km and a bunch of obstacles. I had a blast and found it relatively easy. This is before I even really got into weight lifting and strength training. I was mostly going off marathon training I did a year or so before that. 

So I figured since then I've become a lot more athletic, I could handle the Super. I signed up last year but had nobody to watch my kids so I pushed it to this year. Signed up with a friend who has done it before and *thought* that I would train. Ha ha.

I never did specific training for the run necessarily, but I knew I could run a distance and since I've been teaching a lot of Insanity live, I knew I had the burpees down!

The fun part of the Spartan is definitely the obstacles. When you can't do an obstacle, your penalty is 30 burpees though. And although I believe I am athletic and had help from my friend and strangers on the course, there were just some things I couldn't do, or fell from. Soooooo yeah..... burpees. Ugh.

Some of my favourite obstacles were:

• Inverted wall. After doing a few 6 foot walls (and me needing a boost), we came across this one and the station person informed us you only get one chance or you do burpees. Well.... if you know me at all, that was certainly motivation enough. Put me in a do or die and I flourish. I nearly fell but you bet your ass I had death grip on that top piece to climb over. 

• Barbwire crawl. crawling through mud under a barbwire, just like in the movies. Totally bad ass. It's challenging keeping your butt down so it doesn't get snagged and having to use your arms to pull you through.the cool mud feels good as you slide across it, but if you are wearing shorts like I was can also scratch your legs/knees. 

• Incline wall. They put this one right after the muddy barbwire those evil bastards. Everything was so slippery and hard to get a grip. I was waiting for the rope with the knots after I tried without and couldn't make it. My friend Ginel (who is a beast at Spartans) got up and we were helping the guy in front of me as I pushed and she pulled. I was starting to worry whether or not I would be able to make it. She was already up and like I said... do or die moment. I made it in one go. *insert cheers*

• Vertical Cargo Net Climb. This was the second last one, before the rope climb and then jumping over the fire at the end. Maybe I like this one because I found it super easy, but mostly because of sitting at the top. Sitting up there for a moment with my hands in the air feeling the success of everything that just happened. 

Not pictured was my other favourite part. Everyone helping each other. Approaching a wall this big guy asked if anyone needed help over the wall. He held out his hands and launched me up so I could get over the tall wall.

At one obstacle we had to drag a heavy ass cinder block around a dirt ring road by chain/rope and I was struggling the last 25 feet or so. The guys behind me were cheering me on and even helped pull it for me even though they had their own. 

Not long after we had to pull a cinder block up really high (i'm guessing 50 ft) and let it down slowly with control. I was having trouble getting mine started and a girl came along and we pulled together. Then I turned around and helped her and her friend with theirs. 

Overall the whole thing was a blast and I would certainly do it again. Next year possibly more training so I can be the one to help my friends over walls!

These race photos are not mine or me or from my race, since they are not posted yet. Watch for photos of me doing the race over on my Bitchin' Housewife Facebook Page!

Some tips I would like to share if you are thinking about doing a race:

• Less clothing the better. Wear lightweight, leave sweaters at check in etc. The more clothing (and cotton being the worst) the more it absorbs the mud and water. 
• Eat well the days leading up to it and the morning of. Avoid foods upsetting of the stomach and think about good sources of carbohydrates. 
• High knee socks are great if not wearing pants. I think they saved me some scrapes for sure.
• Don't wear your best shoes. I washed mine after but yeah they will never be the same for sure. 
• do some training! Ha ha ha. Even if it's just running so you are conditioned to run. You can find lots of training programs on the internet. 
• Have fun! Especially if you are not competitively running for best time, have fun with it. Stop when you need to. Remember to enjoy the journey a long the way and stop for a "holy shit I'm doing this" moment!

Love, 

Jen The Bitchin' Housewife

Self Care Sunday Get A Massage

Massages are beneficial in so many ways. They can be therapeutic for the body and mind. You can get relaxation massages, just to give yourself a treat or massage treatments more to target specific pain or ailments. 

In therapeutic massage you are working on the connective tissue in the body through myofascial release. Connective tissue is the "interweb" in the body that supports, connect and also separates the different tissues and organs in the body. 

I spoke with Chelsey Oryniak from Pure Wellness Studio about getting massages and a few questions many people have. 

How often should I get a massage?

Every client will need something different. If working through an injury, more treatments may be needed but an overall suggestion for maintenance is once a month.

Why am I told to drink water afterwards?

Massages increase circulation and your kidneys have to work harder to flush the toxins out of the body. We need to drink extra water to prevent dehydration.

How much water should I drink?

Increase you daily intake. There is no specific amount and it widely based off individuals water consumption habits. If you drink 1 glass of water a day, adding another glass or two. If you drink 8 glasses, maybe add 2-4 glasses. 

Can I exercise before or after my massage?

Before is best. Once you exercise you are starting to tighten the muscles once more undoing the wok done from the massage. It's recommended to wait 24 hours before exercising, unless getting a sports massage.

What is a sports massage?

Sports massage is a more invigorating type massage, used to promote stimulation of the muscle. 

I've heard and seen about cupping. What is that?

Cupping is used to promote circulation, break up scar tissue and work in the fascia of the body. 

I recently myself had sliding cupping done and the difference it made in the mobility in my bad shoulder was amazing after just one treatment!

Many benefit plans cover massages up to $500 per year. Make sure you check into your own plan!

That said if they are not covered or currently do not have benefits, no fret, you can still do some massage at home. Here are some tips for home massage:

• Use an oil, preferably something like coconut oil if you can. I find coconut oil doesn't feel greasy afterwards, absorbs into the skin quickly and has a cooling effect on sore muscles. 
• Maybe have a relaxing bath before hand. Check out my Self Care Sunday A simple Bath post for some tips.
• Spend some time massaging the feet especially and working up the legs. 
• Ask your partner or spouse for help with the spots you cant reach! Return the favour and everyone is happy!

Tell me some of your favorite self massage tips!

Love, 

Jen The Bitchin' Housewife

22 Pushups for 22 Days Challenge

I've seen a few friends post about this challenge and finally a good friend said she wanted to do it and well... here we are. I donated my $22 at www.woundedwarriors.ca (you should too) and today I start the challenge. 

Suicide is a real threat to our Armed Forces personnel, veterans and first responders. Let's show them some love by having some fun and spreading the world. The more people that share what they are doing, the more exposure the people have to it, eventually prompting them to engage! Just like I did. You, as the one single human being you are can always make a difference.

To keep it fun, check out my Facebook page everyday for a new style of push up to try! 

Love, 

Jen The Bitchin' Housewife

Self Care Sunday - Do Some Yoga

Alright, I'm a yoga teacher, what kind of yoga teacher/blogger combo would I be if I didn't suggest a yoga class?

This week I want you to set aside some time for yoga. I'll give you a few options of types of classes and where to get this yoga in. Don't worry, there is so many great options to make it easy to fit this in.

First I want to talk about the hurdle of trying yoga. Many people are a bit shy about taking yoga class because "I'm not flexible enough", "yogis are skinny and I'm not", "I'm worried it will be all religious." Well.......... that's why you go to yoga, any body is a yoga body and it's not religious and you NEVER have to do something you don't want to. Okay I cleared that up let's move on. 

There is I'm sure a million different types of classes really but here is some basics:

• Flow - Usually a faster paced style, you'll likely get a bit of sweat going on. Syncing of breath and moving so you are focusings on each inhale and exhale as you move. 
• Hatha - Usually a bit slower, holding poses a bit longer. Also here will likely get a sweat going, because of holding poses a bit longer. Typically there is a focus on holding a posture on one side, then the other before moving on to the next pose. 
• Yin - Holding poses for extended periods of time, but with props and backed off versions. Can be a bit tough but also relaxing. I personally find this one can also be difficult, since the you are holding poses so long your monkey mind starts to wander and it's hard to bring it back in. 
• Restorative - Holding poses for extended periods of time, completely supported. Your body is doing no work to hold you in a posture. This one is about relaxing and calming the body. As with Yin, can be a bit to train the brain to stay on the breath and in the room. 

Now we know a little bit of the style we are looking for, where do we find a class?

• Studios/gyms - The first obvious answer. Check your local area for a studio. Many of them offer introductory rates for unlimited passes in a week. It's good to try out a few different styles and get an idea of what you like. The gym you have a membership to, may also host classes. 
• Community halls - May yoga teachers rent out halls in their communities to run classes. If you are a newbie these are wonderful because you are meeting the people of your community and the setting is a little less intimidating. Check with your local hall or neighbourhoods close by.
• Online - It's wonderful to live in a world where we can find just about anything online and usually for free or inexpensive. You can just google "online yoga class" and tons will show up. You can check out Gaia.com for some great online videos,  DoYogaWithMe.com has a great beginners section and you can also check out Youtube, I'm personally a fan of Empowered Yoga of course. The great thing about online is you can even searched based off what you are looking for. Finding things such as yoga for hips, shoulders, breathing, anxiety and so on. 

And finally the basics of what you might need:

• Water bottle
• Athletic wear
• Yoga Mat
• Open heart/mind ready for self love

So tell me, what kind of yoga are you going to do this week?

Love,

Jen

What's That Barre About?

Every thought about trying out a barre class? Yeah that was me. A friend and I have thought about it for a while and weren't sure. I figured I would try and blog about it so you can see if it's something you wanted to try! I'll experiment on my body for you like that. We cool.

Thursday night my two friends and I went to Xtend Barre in south Edmonton and tried out a class! First of all this brand new studio is super gorgeous and the people that work there are amazingly friendly and inviting! I mean I know I have tried many different things in fitness, but always embarking on a new journey can be a little intimidating and these guys treat you like a best friend the second you walk in the door.

So we walk in and fill out our forms and get ready for class. Fist thing is we grab some equipment. Some straps, mat, ball and choose our size hand weights. Now, let me tell you a bit about my ego. There are 2, 3 and 5 lbs weights. And I'm all like, "I lift weights, where's the 15 lbs weights?" and Cheryl is all like "3 lbs is challenging and 5 lbs is like hard core". I almost grabbed the 5lbs, but last second thought, I'm a newbie I'll go 3. *Insert rolling laughter from everyone ever who has taken a barre class*.

We get all set up and start on some warm up movements. It was pretty good, I felt loosened up and got a grasp of hand placcement and footing. I had concerns about how complicated it was going to be, especially after I saw the equipment we needed, but the moves are simple and easy to follow.

After warming up we grab our weights get to some strength. Yeah so I'm a weightlifter..... I can hip thrust a whopping 270 lbs. These 3 lbs weights kicked my ass. Well shoulders, but you get the idea. I seriously part way through had to put those suckers down and do just bodyweight. Which is a wonderful option for newbies to fitness too. It's totally still a good workout. 

We got to some more bodyweight stuff......

Happy Chris doing her favorite move, tricep dips. With a pointed toe twist of course. 

Then we hit the bar. Where I learned, it doesn't matter how fit you are, you can ALWAYS learn something new. I'm totally proud of my capabilities to perform a very good squat with my butt back and low. But Cheryl had to keep correcting me to tuck my pelvis the other direction. Not a squat but a plie! Let's talk about using new muscles! yowza!

Then my FAVORITE, core work!!!!!

Overall we had a total blast. Chris and Melissa proclaimed to be very sore yesterday. I wasn't as sore since I taught 7 hours of yoga and stretched all day, but I can feel it still in some parts of my body!

My overall take on barre:

• Great workout, with something available for all levels to get a challenge.
• Very simple to follow, with easy transitions between exercises. 
• Fun upbeat music.
• What I liked best was it was almost like a taste of being a dancer, without the intimidation or seriousness. We were just some friends hanging out and having fun, while learning a new way of fitness. My friend Melissa was actually a dancer as a child and she said it reminded her of her dancing years and she will definitely go back. 

A few things to keep in mind:

• Grip socks are required. This particular studio offers them for sale, but I see them all the time at Walmart or Shoppers or places like Keylime Athletic Wear.
• Keep within your limits and rest if needed.

Overall, I'm a fan and will go back for sure! Have you tried a barre class? Will you?

Love, 

Jen

Combat Crunch Protein Bar Review

This week I tried out a Muscle Pharm Combat Crunch Chocolate Cookie Dough Protein Bar. 

• Calories: 210
• Fat: 7g
• Carbohydrates: 25g
• Fiber: 12g
• Protein: 20g
• Special dietary : Gluten Free

Again first thing I noticed is texture. On their packaging they say "like eating a soft batch cookie". I would disagree. It was better then a soft batch cookie. More like a chocolate bar. Close to the texture of an Oh Henry. Which I personally like a lot! Chewy with some crunch.

The flavor is delicious. As I said the texture is like a chocolate bar, and honestly so is the taste. I wouldn't say it taste like chocolate chip cookie dough, but certainly a good chocolate bar. 

The calories are within normal range, slightly higher and the fiber content is okay. The one issue I had is that it upset my tummy a bit and I was a bit gassy.  I am known to have a bit of a sensitive stomach, so if that's you, maybe err on the side of caution or consume half a bar at a time. (If you can resist).

I wouldn't mess with this bar much by baking or putting anything on it. It's pretty good on it's own and the texture is spot on. 

Love, 

Jen the Bithin' Housewife