Big Wheel Keeps on Turning

I’ve taken my share of spin classes at the many gyms I’ve belonged to. From waiting in line to get in to the studio, to angering someone because I dared to put my
towel and water bottle on their bike, I was already in a bad mood before class even started.

Sitting in a dark room with the instructor barking out commands like a bulldog, and nothing to look at besides the clock didn’t help improve the experience either. 

So, when my daughter and husband took me to a class at Steel Wheels, an indoor cycling studio in the Central West End, I wasn’t sure what to expect.

And guess what, they’ve basically re-invented indoor cycling!

Ready to ride?

Starting with a huge 16’ x 9’ HD projection screen, you are literally immersed in a ride through streets and terrain from all over the world. Pair that with music that fits the ride and scenery, the 45 minute class flies by. Riding through the streets of London and the backroads of the English countryside with Beatles music playing was amazing motivation to keep going! 

The owner, Bob Koplar, tells me the process to create this feeling didn’t happen easily. He got into cycling because it’s a great workout, but was bored with most classes. Living in New York, he also tried Soul Cycle and other “party” classes, but felt they were too “dancy” and jumpy for the true indoor cycling experience he wanted. 

He started by using online clips of scenery that he set to music, but the random short clips didn’t work. So, he set out to film the rides himself, grabbing as much footage of the beautiful roads and cities he travelled. His friends offered to do the same on their rides and travels and it became a mutual passion project.

With pro cycling coach, Brita Siegel, he adds the music after creating the workouts so it will flow with hills, sprints, and climbs; believing that the mix of strength and endurance within the workout is most important. They match the BPM of the songs with the approximate cadence and feel of the song. 

Pro cycling coach, Brita Siegel

A motto for all classes is “don’t hide the ride”. In other words, riders need to know what’s coming up so they can rehydrate and regroup, pushing past their comfort zone to get stronger. Recovery is built in to the intervals to prevent overuse too.They use Stages SC Series bike. The smooth ride, SprintShift function, quick position adjustments and the accurate data from the Stages Power meter appeals to hard core cycling enthusiasts, and opens up a whole new world to non-cyclists .

The stat system, called Fitmetrix, allows riders to see how well they did and how much effort they put in to the class and see how far they’ve come from previous classes. Seeing your numbers increase and seeing how you’re improving is a great motivator. You can see where you are against other riders in your class, but in the end, it’s you and the bike and the system is a very true measure of your fitness and improvements.

Laur with her contest swag!

After each ride, you’re able to log on to your stats and see calories burned, miles ridden, watts, mph, rpms, and your rank against others in the class. However, the workout is great for all fitness levels. They have a variety of special challenges from time to time with prizes and special recognition to reward rider improvement and effort.

On their website they explain it’s for “Couch potatoes” who do not follow any kind of regimented fitness program and are starting from zero, They recommend approaching each class with the goal of finishing the program and having fun along the way. For “Weekend Warriors” who work out 2-4 times per week, are able to run 4-5 miles without exhaustion and have a moderate aerobic base. And for  “Olympians” who work out 4 or more times per week and have a strong aerobic base, and are able to run more than 6 miles without too much difficulty. 

Eric and Jack after a great ride!

Based on what I’ve seen from my daughter and my husband, it works. The improvement in their strength and endurance is measurable and they can see how far they’ve come. 

But the work you do is coupled with the fun of the music. Rides like Backstreet Boys vs N’Sync, Beyonce, Pink vs Lady Gaga, Bowie vs Prince, Pop Princesses, and tours of Provence, Africa, SoCal, Northern Cal, and even an EDM ride, make the hard work fun. 

It’s not an intimidating workout place either. Steel Wheels partners with many neighborhood businesses for special days of Steel Wheels ride paired with yoga or PLNK megaformer classes. Thirsty Thursdays bring in local brewery, Urban Chestnut after class as well as nearby restaurants. They also vailidate for garage parking in the building garage during class!

As Bob says, they are building community and creating a sense of welcoming for everyone. 

Steel Wheels is located at 229 North Euclid in the Central West End. Contact them at info@steelwheels.com or call (314) 356-2233.

"You Can Make It if You Try..."

Between work, kids, and family obligations, many of us put self-care and exercise at the bottom of our list. It’s easy to use other’s needs as an excuse to forgo your own. But even with seven kids, Amy Fitzmaurice has managed to fit in, not only daily exercise but, eleven fitness competitions over the years while still raising her kids!

When I first met Amy, she was teaching a 5AM aerobics class at my gym and driving to work downtown right after. She had two little boys and a third one on the way. Still, she wanted to have an outlet to keep her energized.

When a full time teaching and training position opened up at the gym, she jumped at the chance. Finding something that was just for her, and being able to do what she loved was a strong motivator for her to become more and more involved in the fitness industry.

I was lucky enough to have Amy train me and really, she sparked my interest in becoming a trainer. She still loves training people and loves the camaraderie that goes along with it. She says when you help women (and men) accomplish something just for themselves, it can keep them (and me) from getting lost in the kids’ (and work and family) lives.

Amy first started to do fitness competitions to challenge herself, yes, but more to push herself outside of her comfort zone. It wasn’t so much the “I wanna win or look better,” outcome; it was the day-to-day process that drove her.

She knows that everyone struggles with motivation to exercise and having a goal gives you a push to try to master something new for yourself. Of course she has tough days, but if she lets that negativity take over, then what? Sure she’ll still be able to function as a mom, wife, and employee, but then lose the joy. Getting into the gym and accomplishing a workout doesn’t allow her to stay in a funk. She preps for excuses by reminding herself that no one has ever regretted a good workout!

Each competition gives her motivation. And since everyone struggles with motivation, trying to master something new gives her a push to work harder.
She says that being around like-minded people at the gym helps too. Like-minded, meaning people who she sees at the gym; all shapes and sizes, who are doing something for that’s just for them.

Of course it takes practice to keep a focus on your workout every day, but especially when you are training for a competition. I was surprised to hear that the workout doesn’t change that much, but the diet is what changes significantly. As the food changes she has to push herself harder because she’s not going to be as strong.

Her regular weight hits about 140, but she gets down to about 130 when competing. Typically at her regular weight she’ll have 1600-1800 calories, but for competition, it never dipped below 1200 calories. She eliminates most carbs when competing, but she says some people do need a little carb in their diet or they have no energy to compete.

She logs all food and exercise and writes down how she feels, even when she’s not competing. She will always take at least one rest day, and sometimes the body needs at least two days in a row. Logging her emotions is helpful, too because rather than covering up emotions with food, she deals with them. Making a plan for the time of day when she might normally overeat helps her focus on alternatives to using food for stress.

She has competed in Show Me Naturals, and NANBF competitions.

So between Evan, Cameron, Brendan, Riley, Brian Jr, Donovan, and McKenzie’s activities, working part-time with her husband, Brian, at Fitzmaurice Performance Sports and Personal Training Facility, she still is training for the NPC competition in St. Louis.

She says, “Everyone thinks that everyone else has it all together. We have to share our own fears with each other. Physically, I’m the best I can be when I don’t try to cover up my emotions…”

So, next time you think you’re too busy to hit the gym and do something for yourself, think again!!

Note to Amy: My legs still hurt from doing lunges with you, lol!!

(Although we all may think we are “superwomen”, sometimes the mundane gets in the way of our progress. I ran into Amy last week with a cast on her arm from a slip on the ice. However, there she was at the gym, doing something for herself and ignoring the negative!! )

"Are You Ready...?

Happy 2013 everyone! So happy we made it through 2012. The world didn’t come to an end on December 21st, it looks like we won’t fall off the fiscal cliff, and Jillian’s back on “The Biggest Loser”! I was going to write about all of the newest fitness gadgets, trends, and diets, and I will get to some of those as the year goes on. But, no matter how many trends there are, from Richard Simmons to Zumba; the Shake weight to TRX, the only way to see success with any program is to make the commitment and put in the work YOURSELF.

No one is in charge of your happiness but you, and what you need to realize is that there are many stages in the process of making a change. Two researchers named Prochaska and DiClemente developed the Stages of Change Model. It was originally developed as a gauge for quitting smoking, but it has been applied to those contemplating any behavior change in their life (Especially weight loss and exercise).

The first of these stages is called precontemplation- In this stage we have no real intention of changing our behavior because we are either unaware of our behavior being a problem, or it just doesn’t bother us that much. We've literally never thought about needing to change, or at least we've never thought about it seriously. We might have received hints about things we might need to change from others—family, friends, doctors—but reacted negatively because we were quite happy with our current habits.

If you’re reading this blog, chances are you’ve moved beyond the first stage and have reached at least the second stage of contemplation. In this stage, we are aware of a need to change and intend to take action, but lack the commitment to actually start. We've begun to actively think about the need to change a behavior, and that can last anywhere from an “aha” moment to a lifetime. Ironically, what we think will produce this change isn't often what does. It might not be the number on the scale or buying a bigger size that gets you started, but the comment from your grandma about your full plate, or the exhaustion from a family holiday walk, or even a change of job or living situation. This is the stage where obstacles to change abound, and you can get stuck here if you don’t find a way to think about the VALUE of the change. Find your motivation by thinking about how the change will make your life better!

The next stage of this model is that of preparation. We’ve decided to start changing our behavior within the next few weeks and have a concrete plan of action, such as going to the gym a certain number of days or starting a specific diet plan. It’s the stage where we begin preparing ourselves mentally, and often physically, for action. We might join a new gym or clean out all of the “unhealthy” foods from out pantry. We schedule a start day. This is the culmination of the decision to change, and it fuels the engine that drives you to your goal. We all actually possess the ability to manifest an unlimited amount of determination when we are properly motivated!

And then once we start, we finally get to the stage of action. We actually make the specific changes like getting up earlier, taking a walk in the morning, or sticking to a specific eating or food type plan. We begin to work on effective strategies to continue the action; setting up rewards to encourage new behaviors and trying to avoid high-risk situations. As we begin to take action, we see changes, and we let the small changes continue to motivate us.

And as we continue the action stage, we have to also work to prevent a relapse. And this stage is called maintenance. Continuing to get to the gym every day. Continuing to monitor your intake of calories. And since starting a new behavior usually seems like the hardest part of the process of change, we often fail to adequately prepare for the final phase of maintenance. According to Alex Lickerman, M.D., “maintaining a new behavior is the most challenging part of any behavior change. We mistakenly believe the strategies we used to initiate the change will be equally as effective in helping us continue the change. But they won't. Where changing a strongly entrenched habit requires changing our belief about that habit…, continually manifesting that wisdom (and therefore that habit) requires that we maintain a high life-condition. If our mood is low, the wisdom to behave differently seems to disappear and we go back to eating more and exercising less.”

He suggests that we try to recognize which of the five stages of change we find ourselves in in at any one time to help us maintain realistic expectations and minimize our frustration. He says to focus on reaching the next stage rather than on the end goal, which may seem too far away.

And finally, never let a few days, or even weeks, of falling back into bad habits discourage you from fighting to re-establish the good habits you want. YOU really are the one with the power to make it work !

"Everyday People..."

Ok. I’ll admit it. I sign on to Facebook pretty much every day. I say it’s because I’m posting a fitness tip on my Fitness Barista page, and that’s true, but I also like to see what other people are saying. And therein lies the problem.

In his post in The Harvard Business Review blog, “Facebook is Making Us Miserable”, Daniel Gulati says that Facebook is one of the “major contributors to career anxiety, and it’s creating a den of comparison. Since our Facebook profiles are self-curated, (we) have a strong bias toward sharing positive milestones and avoid mentioning the more humdrum, negative parts of (our) lives.”

So it got me thinking. Not only is it creating career anxiety, but maybe “workout anxiety” too.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m the first one to cheer on a friend or client when they have a successful workout or healthy eating week! I love hearing what people can accomplish when they persevere and work hard toward their goals. However, sometimes I feel like I’ll never be able to do what everyone on Facebook says they do.

I read real posts like:
“Just ran 22 miles in the snow. Trying for 25 tomorrow.”

“8th day of my all-juice cleanse. Lost 11 pounds so far and stomach is now completely flat.”

“2 body pump classes, and then off to yoga and Pilates!”

“Burned 950 calories in just 1 spinning class!”

And reading them just intimidates me. I mean, I went to the gym. I worked out. I felt great. But then I got on Facebook, and now I feel bad because I didn’t do as much as everyone else!

Like Gulati says, we serve up our best selves on Facebook and I guess, why not! Nobody deliberately puts a terrible photo of themselves on their Facebook page, so why would they let you know when they don’t accomplish their goals?

So, along with the calories burned, marathons run, and pounds lost, it’s also ok to brag if you:

“Tried to run at a 6.5 on the treadmill, but had to bring it down to a 4!”

“Did one set of heavy leg presses and then three sets of light weight”

“Ate mostly fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grain, but went to Ted Drewe’s for custard (or Graeter’s or Baskin Robbins)”

“Haven’t had chocolate chip cookies for 3 days!”

And even “Was going to go to the gym, but it was raining and I was tired! (But, I’m going tomorrow)”

Let others’ accomplishments inspire you, but realize that you’re only seeing part of the picture. Celebrate even the little victories and quit comparing them to everyone else’s! Unless you’re in a race or competing in a sport, your fitness is really about YOUR personal best!

"Ain't No Stopping Us Now..."

In just about a month, I will, again, be in the final year of another decade of life. Didn’t I just have a surprise party to celebrate the beginning of this decade? It can’t be that long ago, because I’m sure I still have the pants I wore to the party!

But, it’s true. Each 10 year span goes by faster and faster, and nothing I do will slow it down.

I think I’m still the person I was before the years started piling up, but I have to admit, many things have changed.

While I used to wake up a 4 AM and finish my workout by 5:30, I now regularly hit the snooze button, and often don’t get there until 9. The good thing about this is that I’ve met a whole new group of people at the gym, and now have a choice of classes at reasonable times. I also don’t fall asleep driving at two in the afternoon, and I can actually stay up for the late night news. I’m also more focused on my workout, and more aware of what I’m doing because I’m fully awake at the gym instead of “sleep-lifting”.

Oh yeah, and the daily high-impact aerobics and step classes I used to take? My knees rebelled, and there wasn’t enough Tylenol to offset the pain. I’ve learned to cross-train aerobically and use my muscles in lots of different ways including dance, spinning and climbing. I’ll still run some short 30 second sprints on the treadmill now and then, but I like being able to walk, so no marathons for me.

I previously had memberships to five different gyms at one time, looking for the perfect class/machine/trainer/locker room, etc. because there was always something about each one that would annoy me. Now, it’s one gym and a much more flexible outlook. If I’m getting a good workout, it doesn’t matter WHO is teaching a class (Do you hear that 8:30 Wednesday spinners?) or which type of cardio machine I’m using. (As a sidebar to this; I also used to bring my IPOD with my own (Funk, Motown, Disco, Rap, Rock) music to a class, JUST IN CASE I didn’t like the instructors’s music choices. I’ve since developed a liking for country, 80’s, salsa, and even metal, based on how the songs have really pumped up my workout in many a class! Thanks to Karyn, Lisa, Beth, and Kim!

It’s the same with my weight-lifting workout. I used to rigidly follow the EXACT exercises on the EXACT pieces of equipment. If someone was on the squat machine and I needed it, or someone was using the cable crossovers, I would stomp and pout until I was able to get on that machine (My former workout buddies will attest to this!). Maybe it’s because I know more about working out, or maybe it’s because I’m becoming more adaptable, but I can always find an alternate exercise that works my muscles in the same way. It’s also helped me open up to all different kinds of equipment like balls, and BOSUs, TRX, and Kettlebells.

So, I don’t see these changes as “giving in” to my years, I see it as evolving. Having a variety of options helps me work my body in different ways, keeping me from “overusing” a muscle to injury. I have a good balance of interval workouts, and can get a better burn in less time. And, best of all, wearing cool new clothes like lululemon Groovepants and an InStride jacket are definitely cuter than the thong leotards, sweatbands, leg warmers, and cut off sweatshirts of the Jane Fonda era!

What A Long, Strange Trip It's Been...

This weekend I’m going to my 40 year high school reunion! I can hardly believe that I’m anywhere near 40 years old (Obviously, well beyond that), but I'm amazed at all that has happened since then. Having had a negative body image and poor eating and exercise habits during my adolescent years, I realize how far I have come in my commitment to good health and fitness!
My earliest recollection of any type of group exercise was a Girl’s Sports Club at a local community center in Columbus, Ohio. It was also the place that I met my lifelong best friend, Nadine. Our mothers were both concerned about our increasing numbers on the scale, and thought sports club would be the perfect solution. They’d drop us off at the front door and pick us up two hours later, happily imagining all the calories we had burned while running around the gym. What they didn’t know was, as soon as they were gone, Nadine and I would sneak out of the gym and around the corner to the BBF (Burger Boy Food-a-Rama. Even the name sounds fattening). We’d have our fill of burgers, fries and shakes, head back to the front entrance, and wait for our moms to come for us. After about 10 weeks of “class”, my puzzled mother was sure I must have had some kind of thyroid condition since I was gaining weight; not losing it!
I’d love to say that things changed when I started high school, but the affair with high-calorie, high-fat foods continued. Once I got to college, I tried ways to lose weight; many of them unhealthy or just plain dangerous. Diet pills, not eating all day (and binging at night), the grapefruit, cabbage, cookie, or any (fill in the blank) fad diet, I tried them all! I’d be on a diet, off of a diet, on a diet, off of one until I just didn’t want to deal with it any more. And then magically, the aerobic dancing craze began and I started taking classes. I love music and I love to dance (I think I’m really good, but my kids beg to differ!!), so it was a great fit for me. I didn’t even feel like I was “exercising”!
This continued for years; even when I got married, started working, moved to different cities and had my kids. I even went into labor following a particularly energetic dance combination! I’d find a class that worked with my schedule and do everything I could to get there regularly. At the time, many of the classes were in church basements or recreation centers, so I dragged my kids with me and they would happily play on the playground while I took my class (That was long before the days of “Kid’s Club” and child care that the gyms have today).
When I moved to St. Louis, I joined a gym for the aerobics classes, but I finally ventured into what I called the “Boy’s Locker Room”, i.e. the weight room! I was clueless as to how to use any of the equipment and I was afraid the weights would make me look too bulky, but the other members were helpful and the trainers I worked with gave me a lot more confidence!The combination of adding weight training to my routine took my training to a whole new level. I was amazed by how much my body changed,
So for me, working out and staying fit has gone from being a struggle to being a habit. It's part of my day, like brushing my teeth. Some days I can't wait to get to the gym and sometimes, it's difficult to get myself out of the house. There isn't a beginning, middle and end to a healthy lifestyle; it constantly evolves. Restricting calories has become eating mindfully. The focus on myself has grown to a focus on others' health and fitness. I'm happy when I'm on track, but I'm doubly proud of those around me who have embraced a healthy lifestyle.
I don't regret having weight difficulties when I was younger. If anything, it's made me more determined to keep the fitness level I have. As I age, and it does happen to all of us, I modify and regroup, but continue the journey.
So think about your own fitness journey. What motivates you? What fitness and weight loss goals have you achieved and what goals are you working on? Are you on the road you want to be?
Oh, and my friend Nadine, she's been working out 3 or 4 times a week boxing and lifting weights with her husband. We're meeting at the reunion, feeling a lot healthier and fit than when we'd skip out on Sports Club!