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It's that time again – the short summer has come to a close and we once again find ourselves amidst falling leaves, cooling weather and shortening days. Our kids are back in school, it is getting busier at work, and the holiday season is just around the corner. Fall is a time of change, a time to be spurred into action; September, with all of its changes in pace, can be considered a warmer January: the perfect month to set some new goals and resolutions. I am greatly looking forward to the upcoming months and our new and exciting programs. Following is just a peek at what the RIPPED team has been busy planning to help you attain your new goals this fall:

• Get ready for the ultimate burn: the long-awaited Get RIPPED & Chiseled  DVD will be released before Christmas, just in time for some New Year's Resolutions.
• We have a ton of new programs this fall including the new "Shredmill" and "Babes with Babes" for new or expecting mothers. More info on all the latest programs and classes can be found at www.jarilove.com
• Hit a rut? Can't seem to progress past a certain level? Read on to see one of my workout secrets to moving forwards and busting out of that plateau.
• Sick of same old lunches? Registered dietitian, Leah Crane, has some great ideas to keep your interest up and weight down!
• TV anyone? If you've been watching Breakfast Television this summer then keep reading…
• What's the difference between health and fitness? It may impact your fitness regime more than you think!
• And more... the fall newsletter is full of information, secrets, and techniques to help you embrace the new season.

Are you ready to kick start your fall? I know I am! These free newsletters are a great tool for you to use to spice up your diet and fitness regimes. Not only that, subscribers like you are the first to know about all of my new and exciting news!

Lastly, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of the RIPPED members: without your continual support and enthusiasm, I never would have the courage to have put this program together.

Sincerely,

Make sure to get a copy of the latest issue of Fitness Magazine! It features a heart pumping Jari Love cardio workout along with targeted moves designed to sculpt and shape your whole body! With a readership of over 6 million people, Fitness Magazine always offers the best tips and advice!

Benefits of Super-setting and Isolation Exercises

by Jari Love AFLCA, PFT

Many people find that once they are over the initial rush of exercising, they just aren't progressing and improving as much as they used to. This seeming lack of improvement is known as an exercise plateau and it is one of the most common problems exercisers all over are forced to deal with. There are many solutions available, but the single most effective solution is tweaking or changing your exercise in order to break out of the rut your body creates for itself. The human body is amazingly adaptable and within a few short weeks of applying the same stress over and over, it will gain a "memory" and be able to deal with the stress much more efficiently, which leads to the decline in progress. When this happens during strength training, short of completely changing your exercises, there are some tweaks that are possible in order to regain your original progress.

Muscles grow after they have been placed under stress. The higher the intensity, that is to say, the greater the stress, the faster the muscles will grow. This is where the practice of supersetting comes into play. Supersetting is a strength training method whereby you do two or more exercises in quick succession, with no rest between them. This has the effect of keeping the intensity of the exercise throughout the whole superset, thus avoiding lost time after rests where the body has to elevate the intensity again. The exercises can be all for the same muscle group or not, it doesn't really matter. What is important is that the intensity level remains as elevated as possible for the longest time possible. Supersets also allow you to overload your muscles quickly without having to resort to using extremely heavy weights. This is excellent for someone who is exercising alone or doesn't have access to weights heavy enough to properly overload their muscles. Furthermore, if you choose to do supersets for different muscle groups, it adds a bit of variety and spontaneity to your exercises, as many different and possibly unrelated muscle groups are called into action in quick succession, which has the effect of raising the intensity even higher and keeping your body from adjusting too quickly.

There are a couple of different methods to supersetting depending on what your final goal is. The first is called the Pre-Exhaustion Superset. This is where you choose two exercises, the first an isolation exercise and the second a compound exercise, and work on one muscle group. Post-Exhaustion Supersets are the opposite of Pre-Exhaustion – You start out with the compound exercise and progress to the isolation exercise. A Compound Superset is an excellent way to add stress to muscles as you are putting together two compound exercises that require a great deal of strength to accomplish – this will help work out many muscles at once. Isolation Supersets are the opposite of Compound Supersets, whereby you follow isolation exercises with isolation exercises. Staggered Supersets do exercises for different muscles between sets. For example, you could do a chest press followed by a quad extension, and return again to the chest press. This saves time, allowing you to work smaller muscle groups while the bigger ones rest.

Supersetting makes use of another technique which is crucial to getting the most mileage out of your strength training: isolation training. Isolation of a muscle through specific exercises helps you zone in on the targeted muscle and channel almost all of the beneficial output of the exercise into the one muscle, rather than spreading it out over a variety of muscles. The hardest part of isolation training is actually getting the proper form and isolating muscles as best as possible. Too often when people get tired, they find that they begin to cheat and call in other muscle groups to help them finish the set. While this is not a problem in and of itself, it ruins the purpose of the exercise by cheating. For example, most people know how to do a bicep curl, but not everyone is doing them properly, especially as the set progresses and they tire. Most people curl their wrists inwards, which has the effect of loading the forearm as well as the bicep. The problem with this is that the bicep, the muscle the bicep curl is supposed to be isolating, is receiving help from the secondary muscle group, the forearm, and thus you are not receiving all of the available power from the exercise, which means that the bicep will not grow as fast as you would expect.

By utilizing these two simple methods, you should be able to improve much faster in your exercises than before. While these techniques alone may not completely solve the problem of the plateau, they do provide enough change and variety to keep your body from plateauing as fast. Where supersetting increases and maintains the intensity, isolation exercises channel all of the available energy to a specific muscle; when used in tandem, the effects incredible.

Exercising During Pregnancy

by Karen McGrath, RN, BN

Pregnancy is an exciting time for most women. It is also a time when women realize, some for the first time, how important it is to look after their health. Often the question "Is it safe to exercise during my pregnancy?" is asked. In most cases, the answer is "Yes!" While pregnancy is not the time to begin competitive exercise for the first time, or to begin severely restricting calories, it is important to maintain fitness and a healthy weight.

The most important guideline to whether or not you can exercise is first to get the "OK" from your physician. The PARmed-X for Pregnancy is a useful form to determine fitness to exercise by those who are pregnant. Otherwise, any women who have been exercising regularly prior to pregnancy and do not have pregnancy related complications are encouraged to continue exercising. Women who have not exercised regularly but also have no complications may also begin an exercise program slowly. Women with complications during their pregnancy are discouraged from exercising at this time.

The body goes through many changes throughout pregnancy and a woman's ability to exercise will change from the beginning of her pregnancy to the post-partum period. In the early weeks of pregnancy nausea can curtail the best attempts at exercise; however, once these first twelve weeks pass exercise can have many benefits. Some of these include: less risk of developing gestational diabetes, pregnancy induced hypertension, less excessive weight gain, improvement or maintenance of muscle tone, improved sleep, less constipation, shorter labour, improved self esteem, and help in regaining pre-pregnancy shape. If exercise is continued in the post-partum period, there is less risk of post-partum depression.        

Some things to consider while exercising include: Eat before you exercise, drink plenty of water before, during and after exercise, do not get overheated, make sure you do a warm up and cool down and keep your heart rate between 140-150bpm, pace yourself. Pregnant women are encouraged to get 30 minutes of moderate exercise, 60-70% of maximum heart rate, on most days of the week. For those women who have exercised regularly, the intensity can be higher, 70-80% of maximum heart rate.

The hormone relaxin is released in the pregnant woman so extra care must be taken when stretching and quick turns should be avoided to reduce the risk of injury, avoid lifting heavy weights and contact sports. Other activities that should be avoided throughout the second and third trimesters are those which have an increased risk of falls, or abdominal trauma, such as downhill skiing, horseback riding, soccer, basketball and intense racket sports. Also, after 26-28 weeks of pregnancy women should avoid lying flat on their backs as this compresses the large vessels and restricts blood flow, causing hypotension, which then restricts blood flow to the fetus. Some excellent exercises are walking, low-impact aerobics, and swimming, cycling, light weight training, yoga and don't forget to do your Kegel exercises.

It is also important to know when to stop exercising. If you begin having painful contractions, vaginal bleeding, amniotic fluid leakage, decreased fetal movement, dizziness, shortness of breath or palpitations stop exercising and contact your doctor immediately.

Maintaining a healthy weight in pregnancy is also important. Excessive weight gain is associated with gestational diabetes; pregnancy induced hypertension, increased risk of induction, longer labour and increased risk of a caesarean section. These conditions also affect the unborn child. Goals for healthy weight gain for the underweight individual should be 28-40 pounds, the normal weight individual 25-35 pounds, the overweight individual 15-25 pounds and the obese individual should only gain 15 pounds. During the first trimester caloric intake can be increased by 100 calories, the second and third trimesters require approximately 300 calories. The calorie increase should come from nutrient dense foods, not chips and pop. When exercising, the caloric intake may be increased. If these guidelines are followed it will be easier to return to your pre-pregnancy weight.

The most important thing to remember is to look after yourself, have fun and enjoy your pregnancy!

Karen McGrath, RN, BN

Karen completed her Bachelor of Nursing Degree from the University of Calgary in 2003. Although she has worked in several areas of health care, her primary focus has been in Labour and Delivery. She is currently employed by the Calgary Health Region.

Along with her family and faith, fitness has always been an important part of Karen's life. Her passion for fitness started in her school years and she credits much of it to one of her physical education teachers. She has been active in fitness for many years and completed the AFLCA training 11 years ago. She has been extremely impressed with the Ripped! program. As part of the Ripped advisory board she feels privileged to work with such a dynamic group. Her goals are to improve her own fitness level and to instill her passion for health and fitness to her daughters and to others.

Successful summer with Babes with Babies

by Karen L. McGrath RN, BN

For those of you who live in Calgary, Breakfast Television has been tracking our summer long Babes with Babies program. We have followed three mothers, Carla Abraham, Celeste Dyck and Lisa Schultz, as they have been working hard to lose their pregnancy weight. The team working with the ladies includes: Leah Crane, Registered Dietician, Karen McGrath, Registered Nurse and of course, Jari Love, personal fitness trainer and creator of the Get Ripped! program. Each of the ladies has their own unique story and circumstance that brought them to the point of wanting to join us for the summer.

Carla is a mother of two children, her youngest now 6 months, she has wanted to lose weight for a while but after the birth of her son, she is more determined than ever! Carla has been working out 5-6 times per week including doing Ripped! She is also following a diet that Jari created for her and has been very dedicated to following it in all situations. She did have one challenging time away from home for a few days but even then she made the best choices possible and kept up with her exercise. Carla said that the only way to look at fitting in exercise for her, with two children, is to look at it like it is a job. She has been able to motivate herself with the attitude, "you wouldn't just not show up for work." For August, Carla's goal is to maintain her fitness while on holiday. Carla has planned ahead for how she will do this, she is going to take her weights with her and exercise on the beach with a friend! Our last weigh in revealed that Carla has lost 20 pounds and 14.5". Way to go Carla!

Celeste is also a mother of two young boys, ages three years and six months. She has been very motivated throughout the summer to get as lean as possible. Incorporating her children and her holiday into her fitness has been inspirational. She has been running 7.5 to 10 km each day with her children in a stroller! She said that amounts to pushing anywhere from 35 to 50 pounds extra while she runs! Since she hasn't been in town to attend the Ripped classes, Jari put a weight program together for her and she has been including that also. Although she did say she thinks she would benefit from attending the Ripped classes. Now that she is back, we'll be sure to see her in the classes and catch up with her. Jari also spoke to Celeste and put a diet together for her and she has followed along with that to help her with weight loss. She has lost 10 pounds up to now! Keep going Celeste - you are an inspiration!

Lisa, has two lovely daughters, and is the wife of Breakfast Television's Andrew Schultz. Lisa's motivation to lose weight has been exciting. She realized that she was gaining more weight through her second pregnancy than she had for her first and was looking how she was going to lose the weight once she had the baby. She was thrilled at the opportunity to do the "getting in shape after baby" segments on Breakfast television. Lisa has been working out on most if not all days of the week, alternating between Ripped! and cardio. She finds the exercise hasn't been difficult to fit in because it makes her feel good, she gets a break from the children and does something for herself. Lisa's challenges have been her diabetes and that she and Andrew are often invited out to social gatherings. Leah, our registered dietician, put Lisa's diet together to ensure that she is eating well and managing her diabetes appropriately. When Lisa goes out she tries to plan ahead for how she will cope with all of the food that is offered. Limiting herself to smaller "cheats" and maintaining her diet the rest of the time have helped. She has lost 15 pounds and 13.25" since we started! Keep up the great effort, Lisa!

All of the ladies have met with Cory Fagan, exercise physiologist, to have their VO2 max tested. This was motivating and exciting for the ladies as they are now better equipped to plan their workouts for maximum benefit. They were able to find out the VO2 max along with their maximum heart rates. It was really interesting to see the different results and recommendations that they all had. On the next BT, the ladies will be participating in the resting metabolism rate, RMR, test. This will involve a 12 hour fast and will show each of the ladies how many calories they burn at rest.

As a team we have been so excited and proud to see the results the ladies have had. They have worked very hard and have come with some excellent questions. I have had the opportunity to exercise with the ladies and have seen such an improved level of fitness in each of them. But the most exciting part is seeing the smiles on their faces! They are so proud of themselves and that is what this is all about. We really want women to feel good about looking after themselves. Happy, healthy mothers have happy, healthy children.

Keep tuning in to Breakfast Television to follow the ladies through the next couple of months of their journey.

Healthy Summer Snacks

by Leah Crane, RD

Snacking used to be considered cheating on a "diet". Not only do we now know that snacking is not something to feel guilty about but it can actually help you to lose weight and keep it off, if done right.

Snacking between meals can help ward off hunger before the next meal and therefore prevent you from making unhealthy choices due to hunger. It also helps keep your metabolism going at a good pace. When we let our bodies go too long without food, we put it into starvation mode where every calorie is saved as fat. Eating small amounts of food often throughout the day (snacking) can prevent this from happening. Just be sure to decrease your portion sizes at meal time if you're snacking throughout the day.

During the summer, snacking can be especially helpful, since people are generally busier and have less time and desire to cook meals. Let's face it, who wants to stand over a stove on a hot, sunny day?  Cold, refreshing foods are the way to go for snacks during the summer. That means lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, which can also help keep you hydrated since they contain water.

Snacks should be smaller-sized meals, so make sure your snacks are well- balanced as you would for a meal. In addition to the fruit or veggie, choose a healthy option from at least one other food group.

Here are some of my favorites:

• Fruit and yogurt parfait- made with low fat yogurt, berries and topped with a handful of whole grain or bran cereal
• Fruit salad- combine various chopped fresh fruit and top with low fat yogurt
• Cottage cheese and berries
• Smoothie- made with low fat milk, low fat yogurt, frozen fruit and flax
• Veggies and healthy dip- Celery and bell pepper slices, baby carrots and broccoli dipped in humus or tzasiki
• Peanut butter and banana sandwich- spread peanut butter inside half a whole grain pita and stuff with a sliced banana
• Bruschetta- top half a whole wheat English muffin with sliced tomatoes, diced onions, basil and a sprinkle of low fat feta or mozzarella cheese

Keep in mind that you need to drink plenty of fluids in the summer. Not just to prevent the headaches and fatigue caused by dehydration, but believe it or not, being dehydrated can lead to weight gain. Often your body can mistake thirst for hunger, leading you to eat unneeded calories. Making sure to eat enough fruit and veggies can help with hydration, but in order to prevent dehydration you need at least 8-12 glasses of water a day.

Keep your body beach-ready for the rest of the summer by snacking on nutritious foods and keeping well hydrated!

Health Benefits vs. Fitness Benefits

by Jari Love, AFLCA, PFT

Unless you have been living motionless in a cave somewhere, by now everyone knows that exercising is extremely beneficial for the wellness of the body. Depending on how you exercise and what your goals are when you exercise, you can tap into the many varied benefits that exercising has to offer. Some people may exercise to lose weight, others are training to complete a marathon, and yet others are exercising to become top athletes in their discipline. How you exercise has a great bearing on whether you will mainly experience the health benefits of exercise or the fitness benefits of exercise.

The difference between health and fitness benefits when exercising is largely apparent within their respective names: health benefits include lower cholesterol, lower stress, stronger immune system, control your weight, and an overall experience a better quality of life; fitness benefits include stronger muscles, better cardiovascular performance, higher stamina for sports, and generally a better performance during physical activity. Together, both health and fitness benefits make up the entire package that is exercising, but it is also possible to tap into each one separately, to a certain extent, depending on your specific needs and wants. To better understand how fitness and health benefits combine to create general exercise benefits, it is first important to realize that there are five main heart zones in which we exercise, and each heart zone has its own range of benefits attributed to it.

The lowest and least intense heart zone is called the Healthy Heart Zone. Generally, when people who are exercising seek to operate within this zone, their heart rate is at about 50-60% of their maximum heart rate. Most people find this an easy and comfortable zone to work in, and feel like they could keep up the current pace for an extended period of time. Conversation is able to be maintained at a regular pace, though some may find that their breathing is a little heavier than normal. At this heart rate zone, unless you are severely obese, the benefits of exercise are largely health related, though, there are slight fitness benefits attached as well. Because of the relatively low intensity of the workout in this zone, any fitness benefits will take a long time to make themselves apparent and they will not be on a large scale. However, this heart zone is perfect for helping decrease body fat (by burning calories), decrease blood pressure, and help decrease cholesterol. Decreasing body fat is the one of greatest importance for most people: in this zone, your body derives its energy by burning 10% carbohydrates, 5% protein and 85% cholesterol. For the occasional exerciser who just wants to tweak some of their health flaws, the Healthy Heart Zone is usually the preferred one.

The next heart rate zone is called the Fitness Zone, and it is where most people do the bulk of their aerobic exercising. Those who are comfortable within the Fitness Zone will find that their heart rate ranges from 60-70% of their maximum heart rate. Their breathing will be heavier and they cannot maintain this pace for as long as they could the Healthy Heart Zone and conversations are carried out in shorter, more hurried sentences. The health benefits offered in the Healthy Heart Zone are still present in the Fitness Zone, but, because of the increased intensity of the physical activity, the fitness benefits are much greater. Most people find that they burn more calories per minute than in the Healthy Heart Zone because of the increased intensity. The higher intensity also helps improve the cardiovascular fitness of the individual much faster – the body finds itself under more stress due to the higher intensity and thus, upon recovery, builds itself up stronger than before. In this zone, muscles are built stronger, your resting heart rate begins to decrease, and your stamina slowly increases.

The third heart rate zone is called the Aerobic Zone, and ranges from 70-80% of your maximum heart rate. People who are severely out of shape or obese find that they cannot remain in this zone for more than a couple of seconds, if at all; previous fitness experience is needed if the individual wishes to enjoy all of the benefits of exercising at this pace. In this zone, people are usually breathing very hard and conversation is limited to short phrases, if the individual can even speak fluently at all. This zone is usually aimed for by individuals who are seeking fitness benefits over health benefits. That is not to say that health benefits do not exist, in this zone, as they carry over from the previous two zones, but the main impetus behind working inside this zone is to reap the fitness benefits. To achieve the greatest fitness benefits, studies have shown that you have to remain exercising in this zone for 20-60 minutes, depending on the severity and intensity of the exercise. Furthermore, in this heart rate zone, you will burn approximately 50% of your calories from fat, 50% of your calories from carbohydrates, and less than 1% from protein. Dr Wayne Westcott has shown that, after 30 minutes of exercise at a higher intensity, cardiovascular benefits begin to drop off quickly, and the only real health benefit that remains is caloric burn.

The Anaerobic Zone, also known as the Performance Training Zone, follows the Aerobic Zone. As its name suggests, the body is forced to work anaerobically when in this zone (which means in the absence of oxygen) – which is usually found at around 80-90% of your maximum heart rate. Your breathing rate is also very heavy and fast, and conversation is almost impossible at this rate, save for a few intermittent short words. The fitness benefits achieved by working in this zone are greatly improved: you will improve the maximum amount of oxygen you can consume, increasing your maximum VO2 and your muscles are under a great deal of stress, which means that, when they repair, they will grow back much stronger. At this point your body is also burning calories almost exclusively from carbohydrates, as it is the most readily available source of energy. Most people find that they can only workout for about 15 minutes in this zone before they feel like they can't continue. Also, this is the zone where your body will rapidly begin to build up lactic acid in your muscles. Contrary to popular belief, lactic acid is not the main contributor to muscle fatigue. In fact, lactic acid is necessary for the muscles to continue producing energy at the required rate – without it, muscles would fall behind in their production and you would run out of energy faster.

The final zone is the Red Line Zone, and it exists at the very limit of human physical activity. Ranging from 90-100% of your maximum heart rate, you can only stay in this zone for a very short period of time, usually lasting no more than a couple of minutes. Breathing is only possible in short gasping breaths and conversation is all but impossible. This zone is only used for short bursts during interval training in order to work as intensely as possible for a while and then coming down to a lower intensity to recover. Caloric burn at this intensity is very high and almost all derived from carbohydrates – if it were possible to sustain this rate for an extended period of time, the fat loss rate would be incredible. However, even the fittest of athletes find themselves unable to stay within this rate for much more than a minute or so. When used in interval training, this zone is very effective for increasing rapid muscle power, oxygen intake, and overall stamina and endurance.

Health benefits are available in any of the five heart rate zones, scaling appropriately as the intensity increases. However, for any noticeable and measurable fitness benefits to manifest, it is necessary to move up in intensity to the limits of your production, whether it be the second heart rate zone or the fifth heart rate zone. After the exercise, however, there is no question about it: exercising is one of the most beneficial activities for your body, whether you are just trying to lead a healthier lifestyle or you are training for a world-class competition.

A RIPPED! Success Story - Barbara Silvestro

My name is Barb and I'm a 41 (42 this month) year old mom to three in Phoenix, Arizona. In May 2005 I decided after seeing myself on video to change my life. I had dropped 20lbs after the birth of my son in 2003 but was still a large girl at 4'11" tall weighing 165lbs and wearing 18's and 20's. I started doing some low impact aerobics - Leslie Sansones program and counting calories - learning to eat 'clean' and dropped 45 lbs in about 7 months! I appeared in her testimonial shoot, an infomercial for her program and ultimately in one of her workout DVD's that was released this past January - Walk Slim, Fast break.

I hit my goal weight of 115lbs in November 2005 and did the testimonial in 2006. We shot the workout video in November 06. I had already gotten strong through adding light weights - 2, 3 and 5lbs but knew the next step was to LIFT - sculpt, tone, define and well, Get ripped!

A friend turned me on to the original Get Ripped and I started - slowly at first, and then building up. I got a pretty neat gift for my 41st birthday - my first barbell! My husband and kids got it for my birthday and I love it!

I've maintained my weight loss now for almost two years (November will be my two year anniversary) but the fun now is changing my body. I'm in better shape now then in my entire life and I thank you and your program.

I know I still have a long way to go, but your program is helping me to feel strong and the results speak for themselves. I love the end of the workout when you talk about taking care of ourselves - I work full time, have three kids and I deserve my time to workout!

A RIPPED Survivor Story - Joyce Lowe

Joyce Lowe is truly inspirational. As a Ripped enthusiast since the beginning, her life was turned upside down on December 16, 2002 when she was told she had leukemia. Exactly six months later on June 16, 2002 she was told she had breast cancer and proceeded with a lumpectomy where 28 lymph nodes were removed. Joyce was always an active adult before her cancer and remained active throughout. She found that exercise provided a great outlet and helped her overcome the enormous stress of the illness. Joyce is truly a fighter and takes time to appreciate every moment she is given. She has a tremendous support system behind her that have been there every step of the way. She has participated in the "Run for the Cure" for 14 years and was chosen as a cancer warrior in 2006. As a warrior she made the trip to Austin Texas to take part with 27 other warriors in Lance Armstrong's 60 mile Ride of Roses.

She has also spent three seasons with the Sistership Dragon Boat Team - all survivors of breast cancer. The courageous team has competed in many races and have even been awarded a gold medal. Not only is Joyce a gold medal winner in the dragon boat competition, but she is a gold medal winner in life.

My Story

by Joyce Lowe

In December 2002, I am diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). The doctor advises me that my leukemia is chronic and I will be monitored every three months with blood work and must follow up with a hematologist. As we sit in the doctors' office my husband and I are overwhelmed by what we have been told. How do we tell our children? That night as a family we talked and cried.

May 2003 and it's time for my yearly mammogram. I sit in the change room waiting for the tech to tell me that everything is ok so I can get dressed and go home. But this time they want me to have an ultrasound. They can fit me in right away - they have found a mass and are going to do a core biopsy.

I am told I have Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. I can't breath – this can't be true! No one in my family has had breast cancer so how could I? My family is devastated and as I see children cry and the worry on my husbands face, my heart is breaks for them.

Since being diagnosed I have gone through several surgeries because of the breast cancer. After each it was important for me to become strong again, both mentally and physically. I have always been active and going to the gym is a great outlet. I also have a wonderful support system and they are always there for me.

My journey is ongoing as I was diagnosed with Malignant Melanoma in October of 2005. I am very fortunate that they were able to remove all of the cancer. The scar on my cheek will fade but my spirit will not. I recently finished chemo for the leukemia and have not yet been able to return to work.

I must admit that there are times that this journey has not been easy, but it has changed my life in many ways. I have realized that life is too important not to enjoy each and every moment.

A RIPPED Recipe

by Yvonne Kostis

Special thanks to Yvonne who has submitted her marvelous and unique recipe this month!

Crazy Cabbage Soup:

5 Carrots
2 large onions
8 cloves garlic (pressed)
4 sticks celery
Dice all
Sautee for 10 minutes

12 cups chicken broth (I boil my own chicken then dice and add it at the end)
1 head diced cabbage
2 cups green beans
I substitute edemame beans for the protein - about l cup
2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
2 cups diced Zucchini (add very last or it will be mushy)
1 large can tomato paste
1 tsp. salt (I personally don't add it)

Simmer all about 15-30 minutes depending on how crispy you like the vegetables.

If you like spicy, I put in about a tablespoon crushed chili peppers to each 750 ml. container.

Makes about 10-15 containers and freezes well. Enjoy!

Fitness Trends

by Jari Love

Trend or fad – one often melds into the other. Fads are short term and soon forgotten while trends take longer to build, are deeply rooted in the fitness culture and generally reflect the direction that fitness enthusiasts want to take. Trends have greater staying power and last for many years. So what are the emerging trends of 2007? How did we get there?

Remember the 70's, Olivia Newton John and "Let's Get Physical"? There was the nightclub disco explosion followed by the gym rats in hot pursuit of Jane Fonda, Richard Simmons or Gin Miller's high impact aerobic workouts. Will we ever forget sweatbands, leg warmers and those terribly uncomfortable workout leotards separating newly developing gluts? In the 90's Susan Sommers introduced workout gadgets - the thigh master and the ab flex machine. Decades of outdoor exercise moved indoors becoming readily available on tape along with the purchase of a few workout items.  In the early 2000's, Billy Blanks introduced Tae-Bo classes into fitness facilities worldwide and put himself on the map!

Even in Calgary, tucked away from trend-setting metropolises like New York and Los Angeles, the niche fitness industry boomed.

Exercise DVDs like Carmen Electra's Aerobic Striptease are amazingly popular according to retail experts. Women are looking for new workouts to spice up their usual routine.  Fitness clubs in Calgary and Vancouver are now offering Stripper-size classes gearing it towards ladies who are outgoing and looking for a fun way to burn lots of calories.

Weight-based group classes such as Ripped, Strength RX, Body Pump, and Force are hugely popular. Here, you get up to 120 people attending a single session. Success in these programs come from the baby boomers trying to fight the battle of the bulge and degenerative diseases like Osteoporosis. The combination of weight training and a skilled fitness instructor allows for a total body workout without the cost of a personal trainer.

Another niche fitness product, developed by PodFitness offers consumers an innovative way to get the most out of exercises. It enables individuals to download customized exercise programs onto their iPods. The VP of PodFitness says: "…clients are in a position where they can get what they want, when they want it, where they want it... in ways that meet their individualized needs."

He feels that the future of fitness is heavily dependent on the industry's ability to think outside an increasingly larger and more encompassing box. As competing gyms strive to surpass normal paradigms of fitness, the consumers reap the benefits of their battle. Whether they want to learn new dance moves or have a complete workout in their pocket, they face the choice of a host of constantly changing programs.

Let's look at what trends are sustainable for 2007 in Calgary and Vancouver's fitness industry.

• Bootcamps: Whether you're a bride-to-be or just trying to be bikini-ready, there are bootcamps to appeal to almost every fitness desire. The enticement is to get fit quicker, through an unconventional way while having the prospect of meeting new people.
• Group Personal Training Sessions: Personal trainers have become more affordable and accessible to individuals. Capitalizing on this, clubs now offer group personal training sessions to groups of two to five individuals per session, working towards similar goals. The more sessions a group commits to, the better the financial discounts.

• Did you know?

  • Seniors are the fastest growing segment in North America
  • We will start to see more classes geared toward children and older adults, more classes under 45 minutes for those time-crunched exercisers, and more functional fitness and balance training classes featuring push-ups, pull-ups and balance tools.
  • We are starting to get back to basics – return to step, hi-lo aerobics and sculpting
  Pilates and Yoga: Classes ranging from Candlelight Yoga, Pilates Fusion to Pre and Post Natal Yoga have gained popularity. While the emphasis and names may change, Pilates and Yoga are here to stay. These classes focus on body alignment, core work and stress relief, challenging while maintaining a history of little injury.
• Spin: These classes come in many different styles. Some use the spin bikes incorporated in a circuit style class while others focus on riding with the intensity of the Tour de France. Some spin classes boast burning up to 700 calories per session.
• Martial Arts: Hitting its peak in the 1990's, martial arts is still popular today. Participants can investigate everything from Mauy Thai to cardio kickboxing to more traditional forms of martial arts to suit their needs.

Fitness trends have progressed a long way since the days of fluorescent spandex. There is now a whole regime of scientifically based technical training programs aimed at meeting the needs of today's busy participants. Now there are no legitimate excuses – get out there and select one that works for you!

A Special Notice

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