Fit and Festive - by Jenni Falconer

With Christmas and New Year's just behind us, many of us will still be in a festive spirit. And with shopping, socializing and snowy evenings in front of the fire on the agenda, it's easy to see how going to the gym can start to take a back seat. During the winter months many of us start to eat more and exercise less which can have a damaging effect on our weight and fitness levels. Research indicates that the average American will gain 2lbs during the Christmas holidays alone and more worryingly, they will fail to lose this come new year. Although you will be busy celebrating, there are still plenty of ways to keep fit and healthy over the Christmas holidays while still having a great time.

Winter exercise

Although the prospect of going out into the cold can seem unappealing, exercising in lower temperatures can actually enable you to burn more calories as the body works harder to keep you warm. You can also exercise for longer periods of time in cooler weather which also adds to your calorie loss. From ice skating to snowboarding, there are a lot of great winter exercises you can do during the colder months. Even going for a brisk walk in the snow can get your blood pumping and those feel good endorphins circulating – this can be good for mental health as well as physical health with many experts recommending light exercise as a good natural mood enhancer to fend off the winter blues.

Eat well and bank calories

It will come as no surprise that one of the main causes of Christmas weight gain is over indulgence of fatty foods and calorific beverages. Although Christmas is a time for celebration and enjoying meals and drinks with the family, it is important to do so thoughtfully if you want to battle the bulge. Be mindful of what you are eating – turkey, vegetables and Christmas pudding are fine but do you really need all of the accompanying trimmings, lashings of gravy and double cream as well? Similarly, choose your drinks wisely as drinking heavily can also contribute significantly to your calorie intake. Opt for spirits and slimline tonics over beers and liqueurs and remember to keep hydrated with plenty of water. It can also be beneficial to 'bank' some calories in the weeks leading up to Christmas with a little extra workout time per day and some short circuit training in preparation for those extra festive treats.

Yoga and meditation

Christmas is a notoriously stressful time of year. Whether it's last minute shopping, cooking preparations or entertaining the family, even the most relaxed person can start to feel the pressure when the big day arrives. Yoga and meditation are great workouts to start the day with over the Christmas period. On a physical level, power yoga in particular can be fast paced and strenuous enough to help burn off calories but any type of yoga will improve immunity and strengthen muscles. Mentally, the time out to focus on your breathing and just relax will give you chance to unwind, decompress and find calmness within. During this hectic time of year it can really make a difference to how well you cope under pressure and thus enhance your overall enjoyment.

Dance

Tis the season to be jolly and why not get into the party spirit by dancing along to your favorite Christmas songs. Aerobic dance is thought to burn over 400 calories an hour so whether you are at the office party or simply bopping along in your own kitchen, it is a great way to keep fit. With technology and exercise going hand in hand these days, you could add a dance mat or game to your Christmas list and enlist the whole family in the fun. Not only will it encourage them to exercise without even leaving the house, but it will bring everyone together in the spirit of Christmas.

Strength workouts

If you do manage to get to the gym over the holidays then it's important to prioritise your workout. One area you definitely shouldn't neglect is strength training as your muscle mass is usually the first thing to decline when you stop exercising. Over the holidays you might find you put a little weight on but this can easily be fixed with plenty of cardio in the new year. Once you've lost that muscle mass you will need to work hard to build it back up again.  

Sweat Inequity and the Evolution of Group Fitness - by Lucinda LaRee

As Co-Owner of City Fitness Gym, Cleveland Park’s neighborhood gym, I take issue with the statement “Gyms suggest a lack of structure, intensity and discipline” in the article Sweat Equity in the December 3, 2015 Style section.

Workouts should have structure – the right variety of fitness classes, personal trainers, and tailored workouts provide that in a gym setting. Workouts should provide intensity – and that means different things to different participants, some want to feel the burn and scream, others find pain to be long-lasting and negative. Workouts do need discipline to be effective – trainers provide that for some; group fitness classes bring a social accountability to others.

The Council of the District of Columbia gave us a Resolution as the Longest-Standing Woman owned Fitness business in the District.  We have been in the fitness business for 33 years. We have survived all the fitness trends and continue in our commitment to improve the health and fitness of the community. We did not accomplish this longevity by promoting an elitist attitude, unrealistic physical appearance or a cult like atmosphere with short-term “Killer Workouts” that promise quick results and end in long-term overuse injury from unbalanced programming. Maybe our unique position of being a neighborhood “boutique” gym allows us to offer more attention and promotes adherence.

The article suggests that the Type-A personality is new to DC and that what they seek more stress and pressure. Type-A’s have been here from the beginning. Some thrive off of more stress, but many crave a haven from the storm. When 9-11 occurred, when the Wall Street collapse occurred, when other large stressors have affected our community, our attendance has gone up. What activities were busier? Yoga, group strength, and other mind-body modalities. People did not seek torture, they wanted nurturing and peace. We have many members, Type-A’s and not, who have been exercising in our friendly community for 25-30 years who could not have made it to their Silver years healthy and strong if they focused only on High-Intensity Training Trends.

Don’t get me started on some of the statements or words in this article that I found offensive: HURTS LIKE HELL.  HURTS SO GOOD.  POUNDING.  BODY-NUMBING. HATE IT OR HATE IT YOGA.  MISERABLE.  INSTURMENTS OF TORTURE.   S & M.   FIRE. SCREAMING, FIENDS, BLACK OUT, OBSESSION. These words belong in the article below RUN, HIDE, FIGHT. AND GET USED TO IT, about 355 mass shootings this year in the United States. This is an interesting juxtaposing of articles to say the least. This attitude is not a recipe for longevity but a set up for exercise burnout.

There is nothing new under the sun. What many of these programs have done is to rename and amp up already existing exercise practices. You can take Pilates and yoga, combine them (which has been done for decades) and “Power” market them with a new name…and they are still Pilates and yoga, but not necessarily safer or better. Add a celebrity smile to your marketing and suddenly you have a sensation. Kudos to their marketing teams, but one wonders if their safety guidelines and teacher training can properly keep up with the demand.

An interesting article to write might be the evolution of group exercise and what it does for people. In my 52 years, I have been in a Sports Illustrated workout video, I brought Ashtanga Yoga into the DC gym market, I have taught step, strength, slide, hi/lo, circuit classes, interval training, Pilates and now pole dancing. I get the need for variety and challenge the mind and the body. Our gym offers a huge variety of classes and types of trainers to provide that variety and structure to our clientele. We encourage everyone to work on all fitness components – cardio-respiratory, body composition, muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility. We also encourage balance – physical and mental. I personally use the Medicine Wheel as a guide for wholeness and wellness and we use these same principles to guide our members.

I end this with words that I feel would benefit the Type-A, work-obsessed people of this city and world at large:

BALANCED

GROUNDED

EMPOWERED

STRONG

FLEXIBLE

ENERGITIC

HAPPY

GRACEFUL

CONNECTED

PEACEFUL

How we journey there may be the most interesting story of all.

Lucinda LaRee

Co-Owner City Fitness Gym

Making Sense of Fitness - by City Fitness, Washington, DC. Cleveland Park's neighborhood gym!

Each week we are bombarded with infomercials, new studies, and hyped up trends in exercise.   The conflicting messages (often accompanying a sales pitch) convolute a simple idea- that anyone can improve their fitness through effort and a little knowledge.  This column will provide a starting point to beginning a sensible exercise program, and later examine some of the trends, studies and options we hear so much about.

In order to get a grasp of what we need to do, lets look at what makes up the “fitness” we seek.  At City Fitness, we believe a complete fitness program must include emphasis on the following four areas: cardiovascular capacity, strength training, flexibility and nutrition.   Working towards change in these four areas will bring about positive changes in a host of health markers, from bodyfat % to triglyceride levels, bone density to basic ability to run, lift, hike or play.   Ignoring any of these components will dramatically lessen the overall benefit, as there is a synergy to a well-rounded program.

Cardiovascular exercise (“cardio”) is simply working to elevate and maintain the heart rate, creating an increased demand for oxygen.   The benefits of cardio are well documented, including heart health, controlling blood pressure, and increased lung capacity.  This is also what most people consider “calorie burning”, although strength training plays a crucial role in that as well.  Typically exercises such as running, biking or cardio machines come to mind, although circuit training, swimming, jumping rope and a number of other options can provide excellent cardiovascular training.

Strength training is crucial in maintaining and increasing the ability to perform day-to-day tasks, as well as promoting bone density and boosting the metabolism.   In active athletic populations, muscle acts to protect the joints in vigorous activity.   In older people, strength training is crucial in promoting bone density, as well as maintaining functional ability.   Muscle mass protects bones in the event of a fall, and plays a large role in the bodies ability to recover from chronic illness.

Building muscle is also responsible for the aesthetic changes that are often sought.  Definition or “tone” are achieved through a combination of muscle building and leanness.   Muscle is also metabolically active tissue, therefore helping raise the metabolism and promotes calorie burning.    In order to be effective, strength training should progressively introduce heavier weights and more challenging movements.   That is; the body adapts when it is challenged, and needs constant stimulus to continually progress.

Our third pillar is flexibility.   Often people confuse the need for basic range of motion and joint mobility with advanced yoga poses bordering on contortionism.  In reality, basic flexibility allows us to move with ease, protects against injury, and makes us feel better.   As fitness professionals, we see a strong correlation between time spent sitting at a desk and back pain in our clients.   Students and even children are more sedentary than ever, and the lack of activity directly affects the ability to move comfortably.   Rather than face a lifetime of limited activity, discomfort and possible need for surgery, spend fifteen minutes a day working on flexibility.

Finally, we come to the often most confusing aspect of fitness: nutrition.  Fad diets come and go, doctors change their minds, and the public is left scratching their heads.   We get told (and sold) so many different things, its no wonder many people have no plan when it comes to nutrition.   In fact, there are some ground rules for nutrition that are relatively simple, and a few changes can make a profound effect.  

Nutrition should be based around real, unprocessed foods.   Each meal should have a balance of lean protein, carbohydrates and fat, and should leave you satisfied but not overly full.  Carbs should come from colorful vegetables, and starch should be kept to a minimum.  Replacing breads, pasta, rice or potatoes with a more nutritious choice can have a dramatic effect.   Fat is also an essential part of a healthy diet, but should come from specific sources, not fried foods or additives.  Unsaturated fats, especially those higher in Omega 3 fatty acids are preferable.   Examples include flax seeds, walnuts and coldwater fish (salmon, halibut and sardines).

Three basic skills are vital to empower you to reap the health and fitness benefits of good nutrition.   First is the ability to read labels and understand what to look for, and what to avoid.   The drawback is, most people are shocked to realize how much sugar, saturated fat, and sodium are added to seemingly healthy choices.  Understanding this is essential in taking charge of what you ingest.   Inevitably, this will steer you away from processed and fast foods.  

The second skill is learning to prepare your own healthy meals and plan ahead.   To do this is to take responsibility for your nutrition, remove excuses and set yourself up for success.   Basic meal planning for the week ahead allows you to shop accordingly   Not every meal has to be planned ahead of course, but often the more forethought, the better the results.   This also helps to avoid making bad last minute choices.   Coming home tired from a stressful day at work without a healthy option is one of the major pitfalls to avoid.

Now that we have an idea of how to choose food, and plan it out, we come to portion control.   The final piece of the puzzle is often a challenge in a society where over-consumption is not just rampant, but culturally accepted.   Once we understand how much food we actually need, it’s easy to see how common overeating is.  A good meal should leave you satisfied, but comfortable and not “stuffed”.   It takes a while to realize that the feeling of “not hungry” is different than full.

Hopefully this provides a reasonable starting point for those interested in taking charge of their fitness.  The four components we’ve discussed (cardio, strength, flexibility and nutrition) all play an important role in overall well being.

At City Fitness, we believe that even a basic approach to exercise and nutrition can have profound benefits, and encourage everyone to make this a part of their life.  Sometimes the amount of information on fitness can be overwhelming, but like most things, its best to start simple. 

City Fitness Celebrates Cleveland Park Day, October 1, 1:00-5:00p.m.

Join City Fitness in celebrating Cleveland Park Day! This Saturday, October 1, 1:00-5:00 p.m. The parking lot and service road will be closed to allow space for all of our businesses to set up tables offering food, coupons and more. There will be kids events like a moon bounce and other fun things like a dunk tank. (Want to get in it? Volunteer!) Meet President & Mrs. Grover Cleveland and view the museum of Cleveland Park history. City Fitness is offering all kinds of demo classes - check out our schedule and bring a friend! (Indoor classes will require reservations.) All classes listed are FREE!

• 1:00 p.m. Line Dancing (outdoor)
• 1:30 p.m. Kickboxing Demo (outdoor)
• 1:30 p.m. Pole Dancing Intro Class (indoor)
• 2:30 p.m. Learn & Burn Demo (outdoor)
• 2:30 p.m. Spinning Intro Class (indoor)
• 3:00 p.m. Tai Chi Demo (outdoor)
• 3:30 p.m. World Dance Class (outdoor)
• 4:00 p.m. Pole Dance Demo (outdoor)
• 4:30 p.m. Laughter Yoga Class (outdoor)
• 4:45 p.m. Sunset Yoga Demo (outdoor)

Phone the gym 202-537-0539 for your reservations!

Presidents' Day Weekend

Happy government holiday weekend! City Fitness will be open regular hours with a full class schedule on Saturday and Sunday. Monday, we will be open 8am-8pm. Here is our class schedule for Monday:

• 9:30 a.m. Samayama Yoga
• 10:45 a.m. Samayama Yoga
• 12:00 p.m. Body Sculpting
• 6:00 p.m. Boxing
• 7:00 p.m. Afri-Cardio

City Fitness Gym - Labor Day Schedule

City Fitness will be open on Labor Day from 8am-4pm. We'll be holding our regular 9:30am, 10:45am and 12:00pm classes. Come on over and have a great workout to finish your holiday weekend!

Personal Trainer Course at City Fitness begins in September!

The Core Fitness Professional course is the first step in becoming a Personal Trainer. This 8–session, 32–hour comprehensive classroom training provides students with the background knowledge needed to become a fitness professional. Learn the science behind movement and exercise, grasp the basics of nutrition, develop your knowledge of anatomy and physiology (and be prepared for the ACE, AFAA and other national fitness certification exams). Already a fitness professional but not yet certified? This is the way to go! Class begins September 12 and registration is requested by September 2.

Samayama Yoga Teacher Training at City Fitness

The City Fitness 300-Hour Yoga Teacher program is designed for health and fitness professionals and yoga teachers who are interested in gaining a well-rounded foundation for teaching yoga. This full program is registered with the Yoga Alliance at the 200-Hour Level.

The 300-Hour Samayama program is a 10 month commitment and includes our Core Fitness Professional Course, Samayama Basic Course, CPR, and Skill Development Workshops, and participation in Samayama Yoga classes (both attending and student teaching) at City Fitness which are required contact hours by the Yoga Alliance. In addition to the mentioned contact hours, structured home study, practice, and journaling are required.

All segments of the course may be taken individually by teachers or practitioners wanting to deepen their own practice or teaching. 2 years of yoga practice is recommended, but not required. Click on the above link to learn more, but don't wait! Classes begin September 12.

City Fitness Gym Member Appreciation Events

At City Fitness we always appreciate the members of the gym. Our patrons are why we are here and why we do what we do! Wanting to reinforce this to you, we have scheduled some fun events this month:

Bring a Guest for a week FREE through March 31!!

• One free week per guest
• You AND your guest get a free sweat towel compliments of H&R Block
• $15 for 15 minutes - please contact the front desk to reserve your space.

Refresh & Relax with a Massage!

• $15 for 15 minutes - please contact the front desk to reserve your space.

• Saturday, March 20, 1:00-3:00 p.m. Thai Massage with Linda Baron
• Monday, March 22, 1:00-3:00 p.m. Seated Massage with Sarah Lawrie
• Sunday, March 28, 1:00-2:00 p.m. & 3:00-4:00, Seated Massage with Sogbe Konate
• Monday, March 29, 4:00-6:00 p.m. Seated Massage with Patty Huggins

Ballroom Fitness with Vivian!

• Join us Thursday, March 25 at 9:30 a.m. for a great cardio workout blendingballroom dance and aerobics.

City Fitness Happy Hour at Nanny O'Brien's

• Friday, March 26, 5:00-8:00 p.m. Join the City Fitness crew at a local haunt for drink specials and general merriment!

Postponed - Partner Yoga at City Fitness with Vionna - Saturday, February 13, 12:30-1:45 p.m.

Celebrate Valentine's Weekend - bring a friend or significant other to partner yoga! Everyone is welcome - City Fitness members pay $20.00 per "couple" and guests are welcome for $30.00 per "couple." RSVP with the front desk as payment is required to reserve a space 202-537-0539. ***Class postponed due to weather issues this week. New date to be announced soon!***

Wednesday, January 13: OUCH! My Aching...

Repetitive movement patterns, strength and flexibility imbalances, poor body mechanics and faulty ergonomics can contribute to our risk of injury and our levels of pain. Learn physiology basics, hints for improving movement and review how exercise and body therapies can help. Join Elie on Wednesday, January 13 from 1:00-2:00 p.m. for this lecture/discussion at City Fitness Gym. FREE to members and $10 for guests.

New Year's Week Schedule

• City Fitness will be open from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. on New Year's Eve. We are offering two special workout classes: Cardio-Sculpt with Safisha at 9:30 a.m. and Gyrokenesis with Arja at 10:45 a.m.
• New Year's Day we shall be CLOSED!
• Saturday and Sunday, January 2 and 3, 2010, the gym will be open slightly shortened hours from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Both days we have our regular fitness class schedule.

Christmas Week Schedule

• City Fitness gym will be open Christmas Eve from 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Arja will teach Pilates at 8:30 a.m. and Sylvana will teach Zumba at 9:30 a.m.
• We are closed on Christmas Day. Enjoy the holiday!
• Saturday and Sunday December 26-27 we are opened shortened hours from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Both days we will offer our regular class schedule.

FREE Ballroom Fitness Class with Vivian - Sunday, December 6, 5:30 p.m.

Join Vivian for a DanceSport Endurance Ballroom Fitness class. This is a rigorous workout blending movements from the world's most popular Ballroom and Latin dances, creating a fitness routine that improves rhythm, strength, flexibility and coordination. Everyone LOVED the last class - come on out and give it a try!

Yamuna Body Rolling with Donna - Sunday, December 6, 2:00-3:30p.m.

Relieve tightness, stress and tension with Yamuna Body Rolling™, a revolutionary approach to health and fitness using balls designed exclusively for this practice. It consists of a series of routines using 6 to 10-inch balls. It allows you to work specific muscles in detail, to create suppleness in tight areas and optimize range of motion. $25.00 for City Fitness members, $35.00 for guests.

FREE Ballroom Fitness Classwith Vivian - Friday, December 4, 7:30 p.m.

Join Vivian for a DanceSport Endurance Ballroom Fitness class. This is a rigorous workout blending movements from the world's most popular Ballroom and Latin dances, creating a fitness routine that improves rhythm, strength, flexibility and coordination. Everyone LOVED the last class - come on out and give it a try!

Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend Hours - November 26-29

City Fitness will be CLOSED on Thanksgiving Day to celebrate with our friends and families. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday we will be open 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Our class schedule is as follows:

• Friday, 10:30 a.m. "Burn the Bird" with Vivian and Dancesport Endurace Ballroom Fitness Class. this is a rigorous workout blending movements from the world's most popular Ballroom and Latin dances. Space is limited, please RSVP now. 202-537-0539
• Friday 12:00 p.m. Yoga for a Grateful Heart with Kristen
• Saturday - regular class schedule
• Sunday - regular class schedule

Zumba at City Fitness! November 22, 11:30 a.m.

Start the Thanksgiving week with a great calorie burner! The Zumba® program fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves to create a one-of-a-kind fitness program that will blow you away. Our goal is simple: We want you to want to work out, to love working out, to get hooked. Zumba® Fanatics achieve long-term benefits while experiencing an absolute blast in one exciting hour of calorie-burning, body-energizing, awe-inspiring movements meant to engage and captivate for life!

City Fitness Gym Open House - Rescheduled to October 30-31!!

Due to impending inclement weather, our outdoor classes originally scheduled for October 24 are going to be rescheduled to October 31. All regularly scheduled fitness classes (indoors) are open to the public BOTH weekends...come try a class one weekend or both!

City Fitness Gym Open House Weekend - October 23-25!

City Fitness Gym invites you to our Open House weekend next weekend, October 23-25. All fitness classes FREE all weekend; other events are as follows: Friday, October 23

• 7:30-9:00 p.m. CityScapes Photo Exhibit Opening: Beverly Jackson has hung a great local photograph exhibit at the gym and is selling her photos to raise money for Street Soccer, USA. No purchase necessary - just come by to view the art and enjoy the line-dancing lessons and more!

Saturday, October 24

• All fitness classes FREE to the public - both outdoor and regular indoor.

• 10:00-11:00 a.m. Fall Fitness Relay - a fun outdoor workout suitable for all fitness levels. (Weather permitting.)

• 11:00-11:30 a.m. Cardio Dance - An outdoor dance aerobics class; get your groove on. (Weather permitting)

• 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Yogatalaugh - 30 minutes of silliness that will help reduce stress, work your abs, and lighten your day. (Weather permitting)

Sunday, October 25

• All fitness classes FREE to the public.

And thanks to your interest and support, we are extending our $0 initiation "Sweet 16" special through the end of the year. Thinking of joining the gym? Join now and your first month's dues will go to your favorite local charity.