Makes me smile....

Weight 10st12lb, BMI 23.2, Body Fat 26.3%

 

I have to share and write about this because when I reflect, it makes me smile :)

 

At the tender age of 44 I am back to a size 10 and weighing in, in the 10's and in better shape than I've ever been.  I was 22 when I was last a size 10 and weighing in at about 10st 7lb but I wasn't the same shape as I am now.  I was slim but I wasn't toned and if I'm honest probably wasn't too fit either.



..the bikini pic that I thought would never be!

I put on some weight just before I got married (stress)...yep stress...I must be the only bride-to-be that the dress had to be 'let-out' a bit on various fittings..I was lucky she wasn't banging another panel in!  When I got stressed I used to eat.  Even up to 7 years ago when I had a stressful full-time job...I went in a size 12/14 and came out a year and a half later a good size 16 *munch munch munch* and no exercise.

 

Anyhow, started putting on the weight before the 'big' day, continued on the honeymoon, the food was gorgeous in Barbados and the cocktails were for nothing,  so the weight started from there.  After 6 months I was fed up being soft and unfit, so along with two of my work colleagues/friends, I did join a gym on Clanbrassil Street. I did train 3 to 4 times a week, as in Step Aerobics, 'Jane Fonda' type Aerobics (I even had a couple of those fab shiny G-string leotards),Circuit classes and resistance training and I got back into great shape, six-pack 'n all. Looked fab....up until I had the girls.  Then I did no exercise, though I did join Weight Watchers TWICE and did the Slim Fast, Cabbage Soup, Atkins and whatever other fad diet that was around at the time until I copped on and joined the gym 6 years ago.

 

I wasn't always great at going to the gym or training properly once I was there but it did 'click' with me after a time and of course after I started to see the results of a good focused training session.

 

You know the rest.  Ended up loving the training. Decided to study for a qualification in Exercise, Nutrition and Personal Training. Got 2 A's & 2 B's in my exams (something else that made me smile as I never got A's in any of my big school exams). And here I am.

 

Things are happening slowly, however I am so grateful for the couple of clients that I have and especially the one who rang me months ago and told me she would cancel her current trainer and come and train with me once I was qualified.  True to form, she rang me the morning I got my results and booked me...you know who you are...thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am still on work placement in my favourite gym but am not so confident about securing a position there.  Although I've been told by the Operations Managers and the gym Manager that there has been a lot of positive feedback about me, there are no positions and if and when one does become available, there are 'bodies' ahead of me.  I will continue my work placement there, keep my eyes and ears open and learn as much as I can.  I will also stay positive, try and build my Personal Trainer client list (finding that difficult) and also try and secure a position as an Instructor in a gym.

 

I hope to have my web page with pictures and information (thanks to Paul D), my new FB page (named along with the web page, with the help of Rachel F), organised later this week and it all up and running by next week.  I will link my Blog into both.  When I do, I know I can count on you to 'like' and 'share' for me.  I just have to keep believing....

 

something great is going to happen!

 

 

Strength Training For Kids....

..a bicep curl & a smile :)

 This is something that I've looked into and read up on as it is something that I'm interested in.  As more and more children are starting to participate in sports and thankfully a number of increasingly overweight children are becoming more active....there is an increasing number of sports related injuries.

As you know by this stage, coz I bang on about it so much, I'm an advocater of resistance training not only for burning fat, improving bone density but it is also recommended to strengthen kids to prevent their chance of a sports related injury.

Before I continue I want to clarify that I'm talking about strength training as in using your body weight (push-ups, sit-ups), machines (although gym machines may be inappropriate for a child's use), free weights or pieces of equipment like resistance bands/tubing or medicine balls.  I'm not talking about power lifting or body building!

According to The Sports Medicine Institute for Young Athletes at The Hospital for Special Surgery, NY, a regimen of strength training before kids start playing sport may prevent injuries.  They reckon.."strength training for kids is safe, helpful and important for kids who are playing sports.  It gets them in shape and ready to play for the season".  It's also a great confidence builder and something that parents/adults and kids can do together. Evidence suggests that a preseason strength training program can reduce sports related injuries in adolescents and can speed up metabolism in overweight children.

If its done properly, strength training is completely safe for kids. A supervised, sports specific program is key to success ie swimmers need shoulder strengthening.

It is important to use HIGH reps of a LOW weight ie 3 sets of 15 reps of say 1kg for each exercise and ideally 3 times a week. These exercises must always be supervised by a parent/adult.  For maximum benefit, strength training should start at least 6 weeks before their season starts so their muscles have time to develop.  When I say develop I don't mean they will develop large muscles (they won't because of the high reps and low weight) but they will develop strength.

A Football/Soccer Player

 

Would do training for lower body ie squats, lunges, wall lunges using an exercise ball etc and these can be done at home or at the gym.



..how about a little squat..mind you his technique isn't great :-/





A Martial Arts Participant

 

Would do upper body training ie dumbbell bicep curls, single arm rows and other exercises that develop upper body strength.

 

However any athlete involved in throwing sports (although even a footballer has to throw the ball from the sideline at some stage) will benefit from developing back (Lat Pull downs) and shoulder press (shoulders) strengthening program early to prevent injuries around the shoulder.
 

 

 

Core Strength Training

 

EVERY young athlete in EVERY sport needs to have have core strength (this goes for adults too). Abdominal and lower back strength in ANY sport is crucial as not only does it improve performance but it also helps prevent injury around their lower back and hips.

 

Simple bread 'n butter exercises like the plank and crunches on a stability ball are great for starters.

 

 

 

So there you have it. 

Stronger child, prevention of injuries and

improved performance in their chosen sport



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2018698

I don't know where they got my name from but I have just been emailed this...I don't think they know me very well?! 

Quick Holiday/Home Workout

Probably 'the' best bikini pic I will ever have..I got there in the end :)

What a lovely relaxing holiday I had. I really really needed the break as it had been a long year with my big 'change' and all of that! 

Before I went away I was sooo tired, mentally and physically so I decided that I was going to do no training for the first week, just give myself a rest from it, but by day 2.....I missed it!  I had brought a resistance band to use for work-outs and I wrote myself an all over body work-out programme incorporating all muscle groups.  It took 40 mins from start to finish including my 10 minute running up and down the outdoor apartment steps (17 in all) for my warm up (sweat up more like). 

Derms said he wanted to get involved and I thought it might be a bit awkward with the two of us trying to do this work-out with one band etc so I remembered a 'Home Workout' I had seen so I dug that out.

It was perfect for us....D was very impressed with it. Every second evening at 6pm we went for a small 10 min warm up jog, came back to a nice shaded area of the pool, armed with a towel, watch, bottle of water and this workout.  We did 3 sets, high intensity and the whole workout, including jog only took half an hour.

I would recommend this for a holiday workout (just to help keep you in shape until you get home) or as it's headed, a little something to do at home.  Use the stairs for your 10 minute warm up.  The trick with this is quick transitions between exercises with only a 30 sec rest between your 3 or 5 sets.  You have to keep the heart-rate up for results.

Each of us only put on 2lbs on the holiday, eventhough we ate and drank our fill (fresh french stick, couple of desserts and I'm surprised my teeth aren't stained purple from the red wine) but we ate our porridge/seeds every morning, I drank my green tea (there's no way D would touch it) and I also drank 3 litres of water every day.  All of this, along with our little work-out stood to us.

It's certainly a work-out I'm going to keep to hand and use on my clients...you have been warned! 

Let me know if you try it and if you do...how you got on?

'Strong' Is the new 'Skinny' for Women

Yes, I've written before about the benefits of weight training for women...you may as well say that I swear by it :) From how it can help prevent Osteoporosis, help burn body fat whilst also adding symmetry and balance to your body. My entire body shape has changed due to resistance training (and a careful but not strict, eating plan). I met a girl at the gym on Monday morning, who hadn't seen me in about 10 months and she said..."Pam, what have you done...you look brilliant...you've transformed yourself"...made me smile and proud of my achievements :))

When you mention resistance/weight training to a lot of ladies, they get an image of the top left picture, when in fact that's not the case at all.  Only last week, when I sat in on a first time assessment at the gym did the girl say to us..."I don't want to end up looking like Jodie Marsh"! I chuckled and informed her that Jodie is a 'Body Builder', size 6, has virtually no body fat due to gruelling workouts of 3 hours cardio and 1 hour of weights daily, endless hours of posing and flexing, no alcohol, eating lots of protein and good clean carbs, protein shakes all held together with commitment, dedication and determination. Eh... not for me either.  However, at the end of the assessment she turned to me & said..."I want arms like yours"...I did laugh....now that you can aim for.

This type of training will have you looking stronger, leaner and fitter.

REMEMBER, MUSCLE BURNS FAT!

Also, when you weight train, you release endorphins that give you a feeling of happiness and well being and you will also have an increased energy level.  Weight training is the fountain of youth..it exists in the gym (or a PT session with me *smile*) in the form of barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells!  It has been proven that exercise helps to keep the fast twitch fibres (strength fibres) active, which start to deteriorate as people get older.  Good examples are Jane Fonda, Madonna and to a more 'down to earth', 'normal' extent me...I don't think I look and certainly don't feel my 44 years...we have our 'fountain of youth' fix every week :) If all of that is not a good enough reason to weight train...I really don't know what is? Hey, an hour on the treadmill reading a book you could burn 300-400 cals, tops.  Have a cappuccino and a bikkie afterwards and it's all wiped out in a frothy moment.  One hours weight training will burn calories for the next 2 to 3 DAYS, while your body repairs to get you ready for the next weight workout.

Lifting weights will give you a sculptured, toned, healthy and youthful-looking body...sooooo get pumping ladies :)

If any of you readers, ladies or gents, are interested in training with me where I can assure you of good advice, motivation, monitoring along with a damn good workout to help you achieve YOUR goal...(as one of my PT client's describes me "nice but firm")

please message or email me on pam.feb@hotmail.com

Just did it ;)

It's a start :)

..I got a laugh when I first read this t-shirt & just had to buy it!

Foraging...

Quite a few people have asked me lately about what foods I eat or to eat for general well being.  I'm not a qualified Nutritionist however I did study Nutrition in college

so can offer advice.

SEEDS :)

These little fellas are nature's most concentrated source of nutrients and they really are invaluable to your health.  I would highly recommend eating a variety of seeds daily. 2 tablespoons sprinkled on porridge, in yogurt or over salads etc.

The are high in Fibre and Omega 3. 

Fibre helps to pass digestible and indigestible food through the digestive system and the insoluble fibres 'scrub out' the system as it passes through the body before we...

well ye know yourself.

Omega 3 is needed for blood clotting, the immune system, lower your risk of heart attack, protects the nervous system and cell membranes in the brain.  I'm also trying their Omega 3 capsules at a fraction of the cost of some other brands.

I was spending a small fortune on a certain brand of milled seeds until I popped into Aldi last week and came across their range.  It must be fairly new to the stores as I never noticed them before (see pic).

...plugging Aldi products!

There are selection of 4 foil packs to choose from:

Milled Linseed, Gojiberries, Sunflower & Pumpkinseeds

Linseed Crunch with Cranberry & Almond

Milled Linseed with Sesame, Blueberries & Raspberries

Golden  Linseed Crunch With clusters of Linseed, sunflower/pumpkin seeds & honey

They are all ONLY €2.79 each..yes...€2.79 :)

I was paying €6.00 or €7.00 per pack for the other brand!

They also stock a small selection of natural nuts ie walnut halves, almonds etc which are much more reasonable than other brands and a selection of Fruit Mixes and dried fruits that are ideal for snacking or for topping off your morning porridge (that's what I do).

I eat 10 almonds every day as they are the most nutritious of all the nuts, I'm sure I've written about these super guys in a previous Post but the list is endless.  I also have 3 Brazil nuts a day. Brazil nuts are particularly healthy due to their high selenium content, which makes their protein content "complete". This means that, unlike the proteins in most plant products,

Brazil nuts' proteins contain all the necessary amino acids .

Finally, if you're a Green Tea drinker, they also stock a selection of Green Teas infused with either Earl Grey, Jasmine or plain for €1.79

I was paying €4.99 for another range!

I've also written about the benefits of drinking Green Tea in a previous Post. 

3 mugs a day.. if you can stomach it?  It is an acquired taste :)

Their Effervescent Vit C (which is, like the green tea, is a source of antioxidants which contribute to your body's defences) is also being given a shot as I don't always eat as much fruit as I should....

All of the above washed with 3 litres of water a day and

'Bob's your uncle'!

I would love to hear any other suggestions or comments...

makes me feel like I'm not talking to myself.... 

Is there anybody out there?!

(starting lyrics to my favourite song...)

I'll be back...

..Just Did It..

Hi Honey...I'm hooooome!  Did you miss me?...don't answer that :)

I've been off the scene for a while.  The last you heard of me I was studying for my exams..Jaysus I became a recluse and a nerd...two things that aren't usually associated with my name :) Oh and as you can see..got a bit of training in too..!  Btw I don't look like this all the time..only when I flex. I needed to do 'strength training' to achieve my goals of real 'Push-ups' and 'Chin-Ups' :)

Well we started our exams on 'D Day' June 6th with Anatomy, Myology & Physiology...100 questions and needing to get a minimum of 60 correct. The following Monday we had Sports Nutrition and Exercise Principles...yep another 100 questions with a need for at least 60 correct.  I'm feeling quietly confident!

On the Wednesday, I was part of Group 1, along with 5 of my other buddies for 'Exercise to Music' Practical.  2.5 hours of the same music, the same feckin' faces (however pretty), similar monotonous routines, sweat and nerves teaching our fellow students and their 'guest' to a full 'Exercise to Music' workout *groan*.  It wasn't easy....especially as some of the 'guests' had two left feet, no coordination, no rhythm, no stamina or in some cases all 4!  This took a lot of observance and correction.  However, I got stuck in, put my 'all' into it...made a few silly mistakes, but I felt it went well and I got very good feedback :)

My final exam was my 'Resistance Training' Practical. I had to introduce my client 'Dermot J Keyes' to the gym and all of it's equipment for a full body workout.  Doesn't really help when half way through, he jokingly tells the Examiner that I sound like his mother calling him 'Dermot' (I always call him Derms) and ordering him around..thankfully Noeleen has a sense of humour!  I felt the exam went well, but I could have done without smackng my head off the barbell during my 'client's' lunge...had a lump but kept going...at least it wasn't his noggin...FAIL!

Anyway....we have to wait 5 more weeks for results.  In the meantime, I'm attending a 10 week 'Start Your Own Business' course with Fás.  With all the different nationalities attending...I jokingly call it my UN course.  I love meeting new people and learning something new so I'm enjoying it. 

Happily I managed to secure Work Experience in my beloved home from home...Westwood, Clontarf.  I was absolutely chuffed to 'get-the-nod'.  I'm being offered 10/15 hours per week for the next month :)  I started bright-eyed and bushy-tailed on Monday morning.  I sat in on new client assessments, new programmes for existing clients, half demonstrated half took part in a Rip60/TRX class, put back weights that the 'big boys' leave lying around grrr, chatted with people I train with, who were surprised to see me there in a different capacity and just generally soaked it all up.  As I said to a few people later that day, if you'd have told me a year ago that I'd be doing this now, I wouldn't have believed you.

The next thing on my list is to do my Sports First Aid course, along with 12 of my college buddies on July 22nd.  Our NTC exam results should be out around then too and all going well...I'll be ready to go!  I have already had enquiries which is very encouraging and I appreciate the vote of confidence. 

I love to train, I love the way it makes me feel, I love that way it makes me look and I look forward to helping others achieve their goals.

Thank you to all of you who have read my Blog over the months or sent me PM's, emails and texts with your comments/feedback and well wishes.  I look forward to your continued support and remember......

If you really want to do something...go and do it!

The Hazy Finish Line...

Oh here I go, the finish line is in sight
So I'm stuck into my text books morning, noon & night
Exams are starting on the 6th of June
And when they're all over I'll be over the moon
Anatomy, Myology, Physiology, tough by admission
Exercise to Music, Weight Training and Nutrition
At this stage we all have a pain in our arse
Meeting 3 times a week & our free time is sparse
Having said that when it's all over I'll sob
And from August onwards it'll be...
.."gizza job"?

Good luck to all out there sitting exams in the next few weeks :)

Reaching goals...

...it's always good to score ey? I've reached my training goals in 3 months :)


I told you back in February that one of my goals for the Summer was to be able to do 'real' push-ups, feet together, chest to ground with perfect technique....I am happy to report that I can now do 10 of these :)  Obviously I will build on this as there are so many advancements to the basic 'push-up' but am so happy to be able to belt out the 10 'real' basic ones!

...like so :)

My second goal was to be able to do a 'pull-up' (the best exercise for strength) as you're lifting your own body weight. As these are hard, very hard to do, and especially for us females who naturally don't have the upper body strength that our men do, I had to start training to do 'chin-ups'.  The difference between a 'pull-up' and a 'chin-up' is the positioning of the hands on the bar.  'Pull-ups' have a wide forward hand grip, requiring a lot of back strength, whereas the 'chin-up' has a closer grip with palms towards you so you get to use your biceps and back.

I had to start with eccentric 'pull-ups' which means instead of starting at the bottom of the move, I start at the top and lower myself down very slowly over a certain amount of seconds.  Obviously, the slower the better and you're easing your body weight down with your back and arms!  When I started, it was 8 seconds from top to bottom...now I'm at 30 seconds.  Yesterday, for the first time, I attempted and I did 2 'chin-ups'.  Not very impressive you may think, but until you've tried it, you won't appreciate how much strength is needed to achieve this.  I must confess, with all this back and upper body training, my shoulders and back are looking 'very well'. I'm building lovely definition in my Lats (large back muscles).  This is all thanks to the 'push-ups' and the eccentric 'chin-up' training :)

end phase of eccentric 'chin-up'..

'pull-up'..THIS is what I want to be able to do ;)

So here I am smiling at my achievements :)  Early stages but I have the (pardon the pun) back broken of both exercises.  All I need now is to 'change my grip'..(easier said than done) with the 'chin-ups' and increase my 'reps' of both exercises (1 movement through its positive & negative phase) and in time 'sets' (number of reps).

Set a goal, set a date and work to it. 

If you do, you'll get there.

Soooo, have you any goals?
Would love to hear from you..

Mind the cracks....

crrrrrracccccck :-/

....noooooo 'mini-melts' are not sweets, or maybe they are but that's not what I'm talking about.

This whole new venture of mine finally caught up with me last week.  The 3 days of college, the studying, a particularly difficult task I had to hand up, finding time for actual training and time for close and extended family, looming exams and 'worrying' if it will all be worth it....I cracked!

I was uncharacteristically quiet, often moody, prone to bouts of sobbing, snapping at people who didn't deserve it and just basically drained.

The final straw came for me in college on Saturday morning when I performed particularly poorly at a resistance training assessment and got very disappointing feedback.  I'm not ashamed to say that when I received my feedback and everyone had gone, I scurried to the toilets, locked myself in a cubicle and sobbed quietly (for about the third time that week).  After a little while I composed myself, put on my shades to cover my pink eyes and for the first time since starting my course, lunched alone.  I couldn't face any of my buddies...I couldn't face anyone, I needed to be alone to wallow.  On the plus side, my Exercise to Music assessment in the afternoon was spot-on and I got very good feedback from the Tutor and my buddies :)  Taking the rough with the smooth ey...

D took one look at me when I came home and knew there was something amiss.  When he asked and put his arms out, my chin wobbled like a childs and told him all as I sobbed into his chest for a few minutes.  I just needed to get the 'crap' of the whole week out and out for good.  Anyhow, if we are to succeed we need to turn every negative into a positive.  I now know where my weaknesses are and what I need to work and improve upon.

On the positive side once again, we had our Fitness Assessment last week and physically I'm in super shape.  The only time I was possibly fitter was when I was 26 years old, the year before I had Emma. 

For a female in my age bracket, my results were way above average and I bench-pressed (chest) my 1RM strength (max weight lifted once) of 45kg..chuffed :)

My vital statistics are 38", 30", 34" (38" but mostly back not boob :(..)  My BMI is 24 and my body fat is 25%.  I am above average for back strength (almost doubling the female average), above average for push-ups, abdominal strength, grip strength and sit 'n reach (flexibility).  Not bad for a 'mad aul wan' as Emma affectionately calls me!

'Mad aul wan' at work :))

Weight V Shape....

I'll explain the reason for this pic further down in my post ;)

I seldom weigh myself anymore, perhaps every 6 to 8 weeks just out of curiosity.  I'm more interested in body shape than body weight, to a certain point.

A female colleague of Derms saw my, admittedly posey Profile pic, on FB during the week.  She commented on my figure and asked what weight I was.  This particular girl watches what she eats and she trains.  Derms told her he didn't know but that he guessed about 11st 5lb, but she glanced back at the pic and said 'no way, you must be wrong! So he said that he'd find out for her and let her know.

This is the 'posey pic' taken last December.

Derms was telling me the story and asked me to weigh myself this morning. I'm weighing in at 71.4kg which is 11st 4lbs. He went back and told his colleague and this is the text I got this afternoon from Derms...about what his colleague said...."11st 4lbs?...she looks 9.5st.  Your wife has amazingly managed to disguise her weight with a toned, well maintained body.  I'd gladly be that weight to look that well". Needless to say, I was chuffed to read it.

So why the hell am I telling you all this?  About 4 years ago I joined Weight Watchers as my weight had spiralled up to almost..eh..*muffled* 13st.  I felt I hid it well because I'm tall but I knew it, felt it and my clothes did too.  Through point counting and work-outs, I eventually got down to my 'target weight' of 11st 5lb and got my Gold Card. So I was 11st 5lb then and I'm 11st 4lb now HOWEVER my body shape looks NOTHING like it did back then although there is only 1lb in the difference!!!

I had lost the weight but NOT enough of the inches :(

I was a size 14 back then and now I'm size 12, sometimes 10, with only 1lb in the difference in body weight.  The reason being, through resistance training I've built muscle which burns the fat, plus muscle weighs more that fat. I eat a balanced diet, drink litres of water and I don't count 'points' anymore :) Yes maintaining a healthy body weight is very important for overall health but hey what's the point in loosing the weight if it doesn't look like you've lost it?  You've got to flaunt your hard work!

I bought a lovely pair of ox-blood coloured leather looking jeans last night and the above heart-shaped tag was hanging from them. I did chuckle when I read it as there's no way that I'm 'super-skinny'...I'm 11st 4lb...but because I'm toned I can now fit into a pair of 'super skinny' jeans but I repeat..there is no way I am 'super skinny', not even skinny!

My cardio/respiratory and endurance fitness has greatly improved, and I'm also a hell of a lot stronger than I was back then.  I can now do 'real' push ups with good technique and I'm on my way to pull-ups (still in training for those). When I reach 11st, my goal then will be maintenance.

 
I'm looking forward to getting my qualification in Exercise, Nutrition and Personal Training so I can help others to reach their goals.

Sooooo, which would you rather, weight loss on its own or weight and inches lost...answers on a postcard please....

The latest 'posey pic' 44th birthday in Feb with a few more inches off :)

 



Stepping out.....

Step Aerobics

This is what me and 14 of my fellow students trained for all day Sunday.   Exam results for this will be given to us in two weeks. All going well we will each receive a certificate to allow us to teach it in the future. 

As you can imagine, as it was a day course it was extremely intense.  We sounded like a herd of water buffalo heading to the watering hole, 'sweated buckets' and probably smelled a bit like them by the end of the day too :)  What a workout!

I was first introduced to Step Classes way back in '93/'94 in a little gym on Clanbrassil Street called 'Slim Gym'.  Ah the memories....and my 'claim to fame' was that the wonderful Mary Black was in the class I went to and, as true as I'm sitting here, used to be on the step behind me and followed my moves during the class.  She had/has a fantastic voice but alas....no coordination.  I on the other hand had/have the coordination but not a note in my head. 

The gas thing is...little did I know that in years to come, one of my favourite bands, who I go to see on a regular basis, is The Coronas...and the lead singer Danny is Mary's gorgeous 26 year old son.  Feeling old or wha'?!   I felt even 'better' when the fine strapping Sean sitting beside me in class leaned over and whispered, after I revealed that I used to step back in '93/'94...."Pam, I was only 3 back then"....I smiled sweetly and thanked him for 'cheering me up'...grinning back he said "but you don't look it"...hey I don't care if he was lying through his teeth....I took the compliment....well it was that or cry :)

Anyhooo, here are some benefits of Step Aerobics:

It improves cardio-respiratory fitness, body composition and muscle endurance, in particular the Hamstring group (large posterior thigh muscles).

 

How Step Aerobics Burns fat

Step aerobics is an effective workout because it gets right down to the reason that people gain weight and become heavier than they want to: body fat accumulated from taking in too many calories. As you work out by way of step aerobics, you're actively increasing the amount of calories that your body burns; as you do so, you're making sure that your body begins to burn its stored fat. What's great about step aerobics is that the stored body fat it burns is also that pesky and annoying ring of fat around your stomach, long the subject of frustration in people of all ages. You also get a small bonus when you do step aerobics: parts of your body are also developed and shaped. The muscles in your upper as well as lower body get worked out.

Length of Time Needed to Burn Fat

Step aerobics are an effective way of burning your stored body fat and also, consequently, burning off calories that you take in. 450 calories are burned off in a 45-minute session of step aerobics. Imagine the implications that this holds. In just less than an hour, you're burning off almost half a thousand calories, allowing you to eat a corresponding amount of calories for that day without weight gain being a problem. Since step aerobics is also enjoyable due to the fact that it is often practised in a communal group setting, the time you spend doing it will seem more like recreation than actual exercise.

Derivative Benefits of Step Aerobics

Step aerobics is so great because it leads to the improvement of health in other ways besides weight control through calorie-burning. When you lose fat through this exercise, you are less likely to succumb to illnesses that being overweight carries with it, such as heart disease and other effects from obesity. Because vigorous exercising leads to the release of endorphins in your brain, step aerobics also has mental health benefits in that it betters your mood.

WOW look at the shoulders and arms on these girlies!  This is the advanced level, but you can also do this on your knees and gradually build yourself up to this level :)

As in this picture above, you can also do your MSE's as we call them (muscular strength & endurance) exercises on the step. This is strength and conditioning involving isolation of a muscle or muscle group, working against gravity.  It utilises body weight, law of the levers or an external weight as the resistance i.e. your push ups, tricep-dips, lunges etc.

* It is recommended that nobody does more than 3 step classes per week *



I may invest in a few steps so I can potentially give classes in the future. 

I wonder would anyone be interested in joining me?