Corrections in a Group Fitness Class

Happy hot Friday!! Summer is finally here and I'm loving it!

I've been teaching classes for a little over a year now (love it more each day), and am by no means done learning or a pro at instructing! As an instructor, I am always looking to continue my fitness and health education. But today, I want to focus on INSTRUCTION, and specifically offering corrections in a group fitness setting.

When I notice someone with incorrect form, I usually call out a reminder ("remember to keep your abs engaged and back in a neutral position!"), and most of the time I see that person fix them self. However, there are some times when I notice a student is TOTALLY off, and nothing I am saying is registering (maybe they are in the zone or thinking about something else). When I am not demoing, and instead walking around observing, I will offer specific corrections and follow it up with something positive ("bring your knees back just a little bit behind your toes, there, excellent, great form!"), but I'm usually demoing and instructing at the same time. Also, I constantly offer to the class that if they are having trouble with a certain movement, that I'm happy to "break a movement down" if they can stay for a few minute after. No one, so far, has taken me up on that offer, although there's a few folks that I think could benefit from it! I also think the way students take direction and corrections from an instructor greatly depends on their relationship with them. Although I have my regulars and students who are now my friends (and therefore, don't mind any corrections I give them, and usually are the ones ASKING if what they are doing is correct), there are some folks who are on the quieter side, and just show up, do the work out, and leave.

So, if you're an instructor, I want to know:

*Do you address the group as a whole when a correction needs to be made to one student? Or just to the student them self?
*Do you physically put your hands on them to help make the correction if your words just aren't enough or they don't understand what you mean?
*Do you have any tips for getting folks to stay after for a few minutes to help them work on their form or learn a certain exercise?
*What are the ways you make your shyer students feel comfortable and appreciative about corrections (and not embarrassed)?

If you're a group fitness class-taker, I want to know:

*How would you prefer to be corrected?
*Do you find us physically helping to correct form offensive if words just aren't working?

xo Jackie

The Eat Yourself Skinny Challenge

It's been said that eating 5-6 small meals a day is better than eating 3 large ones.

Now, I grew up eating 3 square meals a day, and snacking minimally. So, it took--and is taking--some time to change my habits. But I've been taking baby steps towards it. Within the past year, on my quest to become more healthy, I added in an afternoon snack. (This helped control my appetite for dinner, and made me less likely to reach for a snack or appetizer while I was cooking!)

More recently, I've been striving to eat 4 "mini meals" and 1 regular, portioned dinner. So, essentially, 5 meals a day. I've also been aiming to up my water intake and make sure my morning meals are the most dense (fiber and protein rich, and more caloric), to give me lasting energy throughout the day. And you know what I've come to find? I never go hungry on those days and am not tempted to have seconds, or have dessert! I know it can sometimes be hard to get in mini meals, especially on the weekends, but if you PLAN ahead and pack snacks to bring with you, you'll find it easier to stick with your mini meal diet.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing my mini meal choices and recipes, and challenge you to join me in re-training yourself how to eat so that you can literally "eat yourself skinny."

Example of one of my days last week:

Meal 1: Chocolate-PB-Banana Smoothie (See the recipe here.)
Meal 2: 1 Handful of Chopped Dates mixed with Dark Chocolate Chips
Meal 3: 1 Turkey Burger with 1/4 Avocado and 1/2 Roasted Sweet Potato
Meal 4: 1 Apple and Vita Coco (coconut water)
Meal 5: 1 Serving of Wild-Caught Baked Haddock, 1 Cup Steamed Broccoli, Small Garden Salad (with Balsamic Vinegar and Drizzle of E.V.O.O. to Dress)

Questions for YOU:
Are you satisfied with your current eating habits?
Do you consume 3 square meals a day or 5-6 mini meals?
Are you a snacker? Or a "dessert-haver"?
What are your "go-to" snacks and mini meals?
What are your tips for sticking to your diet on the weekends or when traveling?

Glowstick Workout

Hello body lovers and happy Friday!

Last night, I taught my last "Dance Fusion" class at the dance studio I teach at before summer break. (I will be back in the fall! And I still teach this class at the YMCA.) First, let me clarify that Dance Fusion is NOT Zumba. (Not that I am knocking Zumba, but I, personally, don't like being confined to the music and movements that Zumba-certified professionals must follow.) The best way to describe it is DANCE BOOTCAMP for all levels. Once we start moving, we don't stop. It's a cardio conditioning class made up of different dance choreography/styles combined with TRADITIONAL aerobic and strength movements (we do a lot of lower bodywork like lunges and squats). It is a calorie and fat-blasting workout, but most of all, IT IS FUN & DIFFERENT. The music is cranked to help keep folks energized and feeling "the beat". I repeat the same songs each class (throwing in a new song every class), so that my students can become familiar with the choreography. You don't have to have ANY previous dance experience to join (but maybe a little coordination would help). You can make the workout as HARD or as easy as you want. We do do a lot of high impact movements, but I always offer modifications for those who prefer or must stick to low impact exercise.

Anyhow, it was AWESOME. Not only did my students bring their A-game, but they really enjoyed my *surprise* at the end of class. It's something I've always dreamed of doing- A DANCE CLASS IN THE DARK! So, basically one giant party. I encouraged students to wear bright, neon-colored clothing and was considering purchasing a black light, but when I was at iParty, I came across the glow stick aisle and decided to go this route. My class is from 7-8 PM, and so I waited until the end of class (dusk begins) to whip out the glow sticks. I only did it for the last two songs, because I wanted to give them a hard workout and then have some fun in the end. (And it was a great way to test out if a class like this would really work in the future!)

Long story short, it was SUCH A BLAST and it worked! Once I get my own studio, I will DEFINITELY try and incorporate a few fun evening classes like this. Maybe even a Friday night workout party?

If you're in my area, make sure you drop into one of my classes soon! I'm always trying to make things more fun and interesting.

QUESTIONS FOR YOU READERS:
-What kind of workout do you most enjoy?
-Would you ever take a class that worked out in the dark with glow sticks?

Have a great weekend everyone and GET OUT THERE & DO SOMETHING ACTIVE!
xo Jackie

Healthy Chocolate, Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend and was able to get out and be active in this fabulous weather!

If you're looking for a DELICIOUS (almost dessert-like) and healthy smoothie to kick off your day that keeps you full & energized throughout the ENTIRE morning, then this recipe is for you! I made this a few mornings last week, and it kept me full straight until 1:30 PM! It is packed with PROTEIN and fiber, and will give you a dose of calcium.

Here's the recipe. Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

1 medium-sized banana (cut into pieces for easier blending)
1 scoop chocolate-flavored whey protein
1-2 PORTIONED tablespoons of natural peanut butter or your favorite nut butter
2-3 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk (depending on how thick or thin you want it to be, keep in mind you can always add more)

Blend thoroughly and drink slowly with a straw. You can also throw in some old-fashioned oats for even more fiber and staying power! (Not pictured.)

Happy sipping! Yum! :-)

What is X.O. Your Body About?

X.O. Your Body is a blog where I share my own get-fit tips, healthy recipes, inspirational quotes and "get fierce" workouts! It's time women of all shapes and sizes embrace their body and inner fierce, sexy self!!

My very first blog post will be short and sweet. Through this online diary, I hope to inspire women to become healthier, stronger, smarter and happier! You only get one body and one life, so why not take care of yourself so you can make the most of it? Keeping fit should be fun and make you feel good. The way I enjoy getting fit is by doing a variety of challenging and FUN exercises--such as dancing, aerial, skiing, snowboarding, TRX, Pilates, ballet barre, kayaking, hiking, rebounding, mud/obstacle courses, paddle boarding, wake boarding, ballet skiing, HIIT, etc etc. And I always love a good ol' fashion run and weight lift session. You can expect to find plenty of out-of-the-box and traditional exercises on this site.

So with that, I challenge you to read, exercise and eat along with me knowing that the end result will make you FIERCE and SEXY if you follow it through. And I encourage you to comment and post your thoughts, suggestions and questions because it can only be of benefit to everyone! Although I am a certified fitness professional, I too, am learning new things about nutrition, health, weight loss, and fitness everyday.

Let's get fierce baby. ;-)