2010 - The Year of Personal Development

As I reminisce 2010, I can't help but smile of all the accomplishments I made and none are too big or small.

I wanted to change things at the beginning of this Year so I set out big goals where my strength and courage would be tested. It was a great idea; however, I knew that I had fears to conquer in order to be successful in the goals I set out to do. Needless to say, I was scared sh*tless and I had to be strong, mentally and physically, because I knew that backing out or letting my fears take over would be the easiest way to go.

Backing out and letting my fears take over - I had to break these patterns.

What were my goals this year? Here they are:

1. Public speaking - I have always had jitters about public speaking. The classic signs of panic before going to speak are heart palpitations, sweating, over thinking, lack of breath and hot and cold flashes. In February, I gave my first speech about me and my business in front of a group of local business women. I also announced my intention to compete in my first fitness competition.

2. Fitness competition - Just like public speaking, stepping on stage is a big deal. The jitters are 100 times heightened. I have always admired fit women. I admire the dedication and we all know that "hard work" is KEY into looking the way they do. Hard work like eating clean, dedicating time each and every day to go to the gym and staying motivated to keep pursuing the desired goals, and not starvation or diets.

I decided that 2010 was my time to shine. I knew what to do and how to do it...its was the FEAR that was holding me back. Fear of what? Fear of the stage, fear of my hard work not being enough or good enough, fear of not doing my best, and my best one yet, fear of failing.

I stepped on stage in June of 2010 with pride and confidence, while I stared at all of those fears in the face. I had a blast and I was proud of myself.

3. Rock climbing - Who knew I had a fear of heights? As I always advice my clients, use variety when engaging in fitness regimen so you are never bored and continue to be active. I wanted to try something different other than what I already know so I decided that rock climbing was something different, and oh boy, it was! When I took my first lesson, I had envisioned that it would be a breeze. I was strong enough to do it. But that was my first mistake. As I climbed my first beginner wall, I froze halfway through as I realized how high I was and that I was away from my comfort zone of solid ground. That's when I knew I had a fear of heights. I wanted to be brought down right away. I sat down and talked with myself. =) I asked myself why I was fearful when I did not even know I had a fear of heights. I ultimately came to the conclusion that it was all in my head...everything! So I went back up =)

Rock climbing is really not a test of strength, you need some mental strength in order to not freak out. Sure, being strong and having a strong core helps but going up a wall that is 45ft high with only a security of a rope and belayer, you better have trust that nothing can and will happen to you.

I still enjoy rock climbing to this day. I still get nervous on some harder routes so I almost always have to reassure myself that everything will be fine and to just enjoy what I'm doing because, as weird as it may sound, I get a pleasure out of climbing a wall. Why? Because when I face all possibilities of fear from falling, and when I get to finish my wall, I get such an exhilaration because I've accomplished another feat where I thought it was impossible to do.

4. Drivers License - Well this was HUGE! I grew up in Toronto, Ontario where owning a car is really not practical and needed. The maintenance of a car, car payments, gas, insurance and parking space are a high cost for me who would only use it on occasion. I used the transit to get around. However, this was not the reason why I did not obtain my license. I tried, on numerous times to get one, but I always suffered terrible panic attacks while driving. I took driving lessons, and while I passed the in-class portion of it, I lacked the confidence of driving behind the wheels so panic attacks would always set in. So I gave up for almost 10 years. And then I moved to Guelph, Ontario. Guelph is a beautiful City but the transit system is slow, unreliable and no subway system.

I took driving lessons again until I became comfortable enough to take my test. I did not think this was possible, EVER. I worked hard, meditated, performed self-talk, hypnosis, and continued on driving until I did it. I passed and received my license on the first try! So so proud of myself.

5. Seminar - I have conducted a few workshops in the past but only to a handful of people. As I was always nervous with big crowds, I avoided giving talks as much as possible. But I wanted to ride my big wave and push myself to another goal. I did my first public speaking - seminar with regards to fitness and exercise - my specialty - to a room full of people. It went very well and I have another speaking engagement booked for January 27, 2011.

As I look back at what I wrote on this blog, I cant help but shed a fear tears and I take that as a sign of pride and happiness. I do not think I would have been able to push myself without support. My loving hubby, Mark, supported me in every step of the way. I almost gave up =( I bitched, complained and wondered why I do these things but I knew why.... He listened without judgment and gave me such tight, reassuring hugs and kisses, and I knew things will be okay.

And they were more than OK.

I have had a lot of -bad- things that happened this year too, but I chose to list the -good- and have them outweigh the bad because, after all, I have a choice.

A choice to make my world a better place.

Happy New Year Everyone!

New Pilates Class

The PerFit U Studio is pleased to announce a new Pilates class starting in the New Year!

Introduction to Pilates: For those clients who are new to Pilates! This introduction course will cover the Stott ® Pilates 5 Basic Principles and how to apply them to a selection of warm-up and some essential exercises.

We will then incorporate:

Essential Pilates : This class will build upon the Basic Principles of the Stott ® Pilates Method to work the core and extremities. Most essential exercises will be taught at this stage to build mobility, control and stability.

The class is starting on January 4, 2011 (Tuesday and Friday) at 9:15 A.M.

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION IS is $109.00 if you register before December 28, 2010. After the deadline date, the cost is $129.00!

Kindly check out The PerFit U's website for more details.

To register, respond to this email, call Maria Dy at 519-830-0172 or email at maria@theperfitu.com

Get Your Core On!

Here is the most used term in fitness right now…CORE Training!

You see it popping up everywhere. You may be wondering, what is it and what is all the hype about? Just imagine tapping into your own body’s power house.

The Core is comprised of your back muscles, all 3 abdominal muscles as well as the hip and pelvis. By training your core, you strengthen the area of your body that is responsible for:

• improve strength, flexibility and balance
• challenge deep abdominal muscles to support the core
• engage the mind and enhance body awareness
• condition efficient patterns of movement making the body less prone to injury
• reduce stress, relieve tension and boost energy through deep stretching
• restore postural alignment
• create stronger more flexible spine
• promote recovery from strain or injury
• increase joint range of motion
• tone and build long lean muscles without bulk
• improve circulation
• heighten neuromuscular co-ordination
• relief from back pain and joint stress
• correct over training of muscle groups which can lead to stress and injury
• enhance mobility, agility and stamina
• improve the way your body looks and feels
• coordinating movements between upper and lower body with more ease

You probably also heard of Functional Training and how everyone is incorporating it into their workout routines either at the gym, or on their own with a personal trainer. Functional training is full body exercises that closely relates to everyday movements and the natural flow of the human body. It incorporates power and stamina but mostly works on strengthening and activating the Core.

Have you seen some of the professional league training sessions…big muscle guys kneeling on stability balls and throwing around smaller medicine balls to work their obliques? Well, it is a sight and I commend them. They understand the benefits of having a strong core and the connection to bettering their game through control and strength. Your body is only as strong as your weakest link and a body working together as a package, will only make you stronger.

Form after all, is the most important aspect of properly working the core. If you do not incorporate good posture to your movements, it is very easy to hurt yourself. Your back needs the support when doing such things as abdominal and compound exercises.

Doing weight lifting without thinking of the core diminishes your benefits and can put you at risk for serious injuries. Once your core gets stronger you will only see benefits. You will find it easier to lift weights with the proper form, as well as the added benefits of less back pain. You will also have more ease and strength doing everyday movements and sports as well as performing to demanding jobs.

Above all, the benefits are staggering and I will touch base on more, through additional articles. The best piece of advice I can leave you with, is to please make sure you contact a certified personal trainer or a Pilates Instructor, if you are unsure of how to incorporate core training into your routine.

Until next time.

Fitness Bootcamps: The Benefits and Dangers

Fitness bootcamps are “hot” these days! One of its major benefits is the extra motivation due to group dynamics. These types of workouts are becoming very popular and widely encouraged. There are a lot of additional benefits, and at the same time, one has to be careful on the direction some of these classes can take.

No matter how much fun and motivational fitness bootcamps can be, many need to understand some of its dangers. Take for example - the bootcamps held at some of the big fitness gyms; a lot of the time, fitness instructors are overwhelmed by the amount of participants and over look individual needs. Fitness bootcamps are usually an hour long in length, leaving little time to address personal weaknesses and/or pre-existing injuries.

I strongly suggest you find a Certified Personal Trainer who holds proper fitness bootcamps that accommodate limited number of participants. This allows for progressions, improvements and personal touch within a group environment.

You also want to make sure your Certified Personal Trainer conducts a fitness assessment before starting a fitness bootcamp program. This helps set a starting point for each participant, which will provide more information regarding health needs, limitations and exercise modification. The last thing a participant wants is to leave the class with further or new injuries. Fitness can be an art and elite trainers provide precise instruction in order to achieve results and increase health and longevity. Another benefit of a small group class is to ensure proper form is established and maintained.

Another very important aspect is whether or not the teacher is educating the participants. Why pay a lot of money, if all they do is dictate without helping you learn the how’s and why’s to what you are doing? You are there to learn just as much as you are there to workout. The ‘just keep up’ attitude can cause serious harm to someone who is not fully prepared. You need to be fully assessed for any sort of personal injury, review your current goals and motivation to help guide you through your fitness journey.

Fitness Bootcamps are an incredibly fun way to get fit! There are a ton of Camps out there, so choose wisely. Overall, group fitness bootcamps are cost-efficient, great way to meet people, will kick you in the butt and is proven to help get the body you’ve always wanted.

Now the question is - do you have what it takes to transform your body?

Howdy...it has been awhile

Oh hello Blog!

It has been a number of months since I posted on my blog. How I've missed you!!!

My first fitness show went relatively well. I changed my physique and was really really grateful for the opportunity and education that I learned during this time. I met a bunch of wonderful ladies who had the same goals as me. There were a few things that I did not like about the whole "show" but this will not stop me from being better, for me and my own goals. In the end, it's ME that matters and not what the judges look for. The great outcome of this show was increased in confidence! Can you imagine parading in your bikini in front of hundreds of people while the judges look on and "critique" you for what you have done to your body and overall presentation? But this is what the show is all about. Lots of good and bad.

Here are a few pics of me on stage:


I will be updating my blog once again on my second fitness show. I have not decided on which organization to do this yet, but I will be soon. Of course, I have not been slacking at all and have been preparing mentally and physically for the next show.

My preparation in the last few months have been focused on targeting my weakness areas in order that I can better lift for the next phase of my workout regimen. I need some areas strengthened, like knees, shoulders and forearms. I continue to work on my core so I can continue to lift smarter =)

I want to better my physique for the next show, but I don't want to be broken either.

I cannot imagine having an amazing physique now and in 5 years, can hardly do anything because of immense pain, numbness and other injuries that could slow me down or worse, stop me from being active?! That would be HORRIBLE.

So if you are training for weight loss, to tone up or get ready for a fitness show, prepare smarter and think of ways to help your body by strengthening the weak parts first. When in doubt, seek a qualified Personal Trainer to help assess your posture and help with your fitness program. If you have been plagued by back pain, knee pain, shoulder, etc., consult a Sport Medicine Doctor or a Physical Therapist to help you become pain free!

Until next time.

3 weeks out

It's almost show time! I just got email confirmation about the show and its format, and its going to be a long and exciting day. I'm a little nervous but my family and friends are coming to see me, so I think I'd be okay!

I'm also trying to keep my stress level at the lowest point. I have noticed how my body responds to stress since I started preparing for the show. I noticed that Stress is bad for my stomach. I also noticed decreased in mental focus so it was harder to say "no" to foods I can't eat.

And now, its home stretch and I'm very happy with my progress thus far.

8 Weeks Out

Wow, I cannot believe I only have two months left to prepare until the UFE show in London, Ontario! I'm truly excited and have started planning out the "frilly" details for the show such as hair makeover (badly needed), hair, nails and make up.

My diet and training regimen remains strict and I could have never been proud of myself =) I must say though that I thought Easter would be a challenge to stay on track but I did not stray and stayed within my plan. I had some raisins which curbed a little bit of my sweet cravings, and oh boy, were they ever good!

Here's a photo of me at 8 weeks before competition. There's still lots of work to do but I feel pretty good!

10 weeks out

Hello everyone,

I had been under the weather and sick in the last week or so fighting symptoms of cold, flu and allergies. I made sure that I drank a lot of clear liquids, ColdFX, Neocitran and took some much needed rest.

Now that I am only a few months before the June 5th show, I can only be thankful that I got sick in the early stages of my preparation so I can get on (with no more interruptions, hopefully) with my training and eating regimen.

Dieting and preparations to me is something I did not enjoy in the past. I often struggled with "being good" during preparations because I definitely deprived myself of vices like wine, cheese and pasta - Yummm! But I'm having an easier time and better transition this time around. It could be my motivation or it could be that I've changed the way I look at food, but whatever it is, it is working and I'm planning to stick with it until I reach my ultimate goal!

During the next 10 weeks, my diet will consist of lean protein, loads of greens and veggies, dietary fats and a slight amount of carbohydrates. On weekend(s), I cycle carbohydrates which means I eat more of it for a day or so depending on how my body is reacting to it. I often feel great during the day and after a workout which surprised me at the beginning of my preparations because I always thought I needed a lot more carbohydrates to have more energy and strength.

This is how my body reacts and everyone is different.

My meal plan for today consist of 7 meals which are spaced out every 2 to 3 hours. This is what it looks like:

6:00 - A glass of water, Protein Shake in water
9:00 - 2 whole eggs, 2 strips of Turkey Bacon, a sprinkle of low fat cheese, half grapefruit, water
12:30 - Lean 4 oz red meat, loads of salad, greens, veggies, my homemade balsamic vinegar, water
4:00 - Power smoothie
6:00 - 1 whole egg, 1/2 cup egg whites and 2 strip of Turkey Bacon, water
8:30 - Fish or lean chicken with loads of salad, greens and veggies, water
11:30 - Protein shake

Having a consistent timing and schedule works for me. I often make some of my meals ahead of time when I know my schedule will not permit me to do so. I also substitute or switch my protein all the time so I don't get sick of eating the same thing over again. On a weekend, I will have oats, brown rice, a small bagel, a small serving of pasta and starchy carbs like beans, lentils and chick peas.

I also make sure I know my servings well and add them up. It's a bit of work but it's all worth the effort.

I will be posting more updates to my blog regarding my training regimen. So until my next blog.

12 weeks out

I am very excited about this last 12 weeks of preparation for UFE fitness competition scheduled for June 5th. I changed my meal plan and workout regimen to reflect what I need to do - cut out and define my body =)

I will be working out 6 days a week and adding a bit more cardio to my workout. There is definitely going to be trial and error while I drop body fat, but I'm not too worried... I have to make sure I do not stress out while preparing since stress will cause me to lose focus and increase awful cravings!

Did I tell you how excited I am?

So, here's a picture at 12 weeks out. Of course, I still need to learn how to pose which I will learn through a workshop in March!

My own Gold Medal

I want to start off by acknowledging our Olympic Athletes. They had done a wonderful job of representing our country! I really loved the mini-biography about the athletes at the beginning of their events. It highlighted their bright careers but it also told of their failures, injuries and heartaches. Maelle Ricker, a snowboarder had eight knee surgeries before the Olympics, and of course, Joannie Rochette, a figure skater whose mother passed away a few days before her event. But I realized a common theme for these athletes… they were fuelled by their desire to succeed. They had their eyes on the prize!

Perhaps everyone can take something away from these athletes to increase our drive to be successful on anything we put our minds to. I felt their passion and desire to succeed and do well, not only for their country, but for themselves. Their intensive training at the highest level made me admire them, but their mental focus, patience and consistency made me have respect for them. I was so inspired by the Olympics that I decided me to take my own fitness training to another level. I have been preparing to do a fitness competition scheduled in June. One thing is for sure: I need to be consistent, continue to work hard and stay dedicated to achieve my goal. I will truly get out of my comfort zone.

Perhaps you have been thinking about getting back into fitness or to some lose weight. I hope the Olympics have inspired you as well to take your own challenge to achieve your own gold medal.

You can follow my competition progress, before and after pictures, training and diet preparations through this blog. I will be posting my first competition blog next week so stay tuned and keep checking this blog site for updates!

FREE Saturday Boot Camp (January)

Did you make a New Year's Resolution to get back into shape this year, and that resolution is still a lingering thought?

The PerFit U Studio is offering FREE Semi-Private Boot Camps on Saturday, January 16th , 23rd and 30th at 10:00 a.m.

Reservation is required and limited up to 4 people per group. Please call Maria Dy at 519.830.0172 or send an email to maria@theperfitu.com to reserve your spot today. Beginners are welcome. Be prepared to sweat and have fun!

To find out about group classes times and availablity, refer to www.theperfitu.com/schedule.html

Creating SMART GOALS this New Year

January, 2010

HAPPY 2010 TO EVERYONE!

I hope you all had a safe and very happy holidays. It's the beginning of a New Year, so are you one of the many who made a New Year's Resolution this year? I personally try to make a few goals - one for business and one for personal. Of course, I also keep in mind the resources and people that I need in my life in order to make those resolutions work.

Have you heard of S-M-A-R-T goals? The acronym stands for: S = Specific M = Measurable A = Attainable R = Realistic and T = Timed. I apply the Smart goals when I am consulting with clients. I also apply these to my own fitness goals, and as of recently, business goals because they give me more perspective of what I am trying to accomplish. As an example, when clients come in for consultation, my first task is to review their medical and fitness history and I ask what brought them here to see me... More often, these clients come in for weight loss - some have a few pounds to lose than others but they all have one thing in common - they watch too much of the Biggest Loser!

Don't get me wrong, I love watching men and women who are trying to transform their bodies by pushing their physical as well as mental abilites to achieve their desired results. It takes a lot of motivation, discipline and consistency to get there and stay there. Many people do not realize that weight loss is a process.... a lifestyle change.

If you are trying to lose some weight, inches or even to be healthier this year, try following SMART goals:

Specific - Be specific with what you are trying to achieve. Write down 2-3 important fitness goals and the timeframe on which to achieve them. Start with the most pressing goal (ie. weight loss of 30 lbs) and write down when you would like to lose those pounds (ie. 1 year). The most important reason is, ask yourself WHY do I want to accomplish this?

Measurable - Measure your results. Write down your starting, mid and end progress points. Take before and after measurements of your body, pictures weight and body fat percent. Ask yourself, how will I know I have accomplished these goal(s)?

Attainable - Ask yourself if your specific goals are attainable. If you are trying to lose weight but have specific conditions to overcome first such as previous injuries, then do that step first but know that you are on the road to a healthier and injury-free self!

Realistic - You have to be honest with yourself. What is the objective of your goal? Is your goal to sign up at a local gym and show up 7 times a week to quickly lose the unwanted weight? An average of 1 to 2 pounds of weight loss is ideal and losing more than that could be unhealthy and may greatly set you back, which could lead to you quit exercising all together.

Time - Write down a goal date so that you can begin the process to achieve your fitness goals. Again, be realistic in timeframes and deadlines because getting back into shape does not have to be such a stressful process.

I wish you all the best in making your New Year's Resolution a success. The PerFit U Personal Training and Pilates Studio is a home-based studio in the southend of Guelph. Consultation can be arranged by contacting Maria Dy at 519-830-0172 or send a request using the Consultation Request Form on the website or by sending a request via email.

Let The PerFit U take all the guess work out of working out....Whether your goal is to lose weight, tone your body, increase your strength or improve your overall health, The PerFit U can help you achieve these goals one PerFit Training session at a time.