Girl Power

 • Fit, Fun & Flirty •

 Spotted @  Flirty Girl Fitness

                  580 King Street W

 Who:  Marlison attended Flirty Girl Fitness for a kick butt Sexy Sculpt class!

 What:  Sexy Sculpt

"No liposuction or nip 'n tuck required." This class was designed to sculpt the body by targeting those problem areas. Using dumbbells, stability balls and our own body's resistance, this high intensity class worked on both our strength and endurance. We did a tabata style workout - 4 sets. 4 workouts. 1 minute each. 2 reps. We focused on full body exercises - upper body (bicep curls, triceps dips, shoulder press), lower body (squats, lunges, hamstrings), core and cardio (jumping jacks, burpees, side lunges, high kicks).

 Wore:  Alison wore her Run: Speed Shorts with the classic Cool Racerback (in her favourite color, Love Red!) Marlene opted for the Power Y tank with built in support and the luxtreme Wunder Under Crops *IPLUX for added support and compression.

 When:  Sexy Sculpt classes are held every Wednesday at 5:30. Be sure to check out any of the other 95 classes held each week!

 Why Flirty Girl Fitness? 

Sexy Sculpt is only one of the many classes that Flirty Girl Fitness offers. A female friendly environment, their approach to fitness is to make exercise so outrageously unique and entertaining it will inspire you to be fit, have fun & feel fabulous! From cardio classes to bootcamp, kick boxing to pole tricks, and zumba to coyote ugly dancing, there are classes to suit everyone's taste!

Run Marlison, Run!

 • " Run with your ♥, not with your legs " •

 Spotted @  Etobicoke Creek Trail

 Who:  Marlison hit the pavement for a fun run in the sun! We hit up local trails and parks, however found ourselves confronted by a heat wave and post-flood construction, forcing us to detour and turn our run into an adventure walk.
 

   

 What:  5.8 km Run/Walk
We ran just under 6 km in 47 minutes. We love to track our stats with MapMyRun, a great tool for every kind of runner! Find running maps, map your running routes, and keep track of your distance, duration and pace with the click of a button.

 

 Wore:  Alison sported the Cool Racerback *Mod Waves, a lightweight version of our favorite tank, made of mesh and luon light fabric, paired with her go-to short, the Run: Speed Short. Marlene paired the Power Y Tank with a high support bra along with the Run: Track Attack Skirt, designed with built-in shorts and a sticky silicone gripper in the hem to prevent bunching while you run or stretch. She combat sweat and wind with her Fly Away Tamer Headband.

 When:  Whenever you like! As much as Alison enjoys a hardcore sweat, she prefers to run at night when it's cooler (and quieter).

 Why Run?  Everyone can do it! Whether you're running your personal best or enjoying a brisk walk, you'll never regret getting some fresh air and breaking a sweat!

Why Marlison loves running:
1. It's versatile and inexpensive - running requires very little equipment and can be done almost anywhere! (City sidewalks, wooded trails, lakeside paths, treadmills, etc.)
2. Expand your horizons - explore areas of your own community or visit new locations.
3. Clarity - Alison prefers to run sans music to clear her monkey mind and reflect.
4. It boosts your energy - especially if you're feeling sluggish or tired!

More importantly, beyond all the health benefits of running, you will feel good about yourself!
Don't like to run alone? Check out local run clubs in your area. We're a fan of PYC Etobicoke's run club lead by Jon, our awesome alumni ambassador, every Wednesday at 7:30pm!

 

    

   

Ready. Set. Transform.

• 40 Days to Personal Revolution •

  

 Spotted @  Power Yoga Canada

                 

 Who:  Alison transformed alongside 11 other participants, lead by facilitators Jon & Heather. 40 Days to Personal Revolution is a 6-week breakthrough program, designed by Baron Baptiste, to "radically change the body and awaken the sacred within one's soul."

 What:  A daily combination of yoga practice, meditation, diet, and personal reflection  cultivate a solid foundation from which students can live and grow. Each week sets a new intention that helps to build a strong and sustainable personal practice, revealing mental clarity, lightness of body, and an illumination of spirit. Additionally, community meetings once a week allow participants to meet, practice and share together.

 Wore:  40 Days of Yoga (minus 6 rest days) meant a lot of lululemon! Whether it was inside or outside, hot or au naturale, 90 minutes or 30 minutes, power flow or deep flow, there was an outfit for every occasion - repeats included! Her go-to outfit was her power purple Swiftly Racerback, Flow Y Bra and Wunder Under Crops. The Luon light Cool Racerback and Speed Shorts came in a close second. 

P.S. Huge shoutout to Silverescent for it's anti-stink properties. Trust me, it works!

 When:  40 Days programs are held throughout the year at every PYC studio. For more information, go here.

 Why 40 Days? 

Alison always knew one day she would complete the ultimate yoga challenge. Here's her full story:

#101. 40 Days to Personal Revolution

For me, it sounded like a cool challenge I could brag about (Completing 40 days of straight yoga? Bada**). I didn’t really know much more about the program beyond that, but as a competitive soul, it seemed like a yogi’s version of a full marathon (Note: also on my to-do list), and was thus immediately added to my lengthy Bucket List. Initially however, I put this goal on the back burner.. a personal revolution sounded intimidating, so I fooled myself into thinking A) I wasn't quite ready for it B) I would benefit more from it when I was older. Answer: A) I'm just as shocked as everyone else when I decided to sign up 2 days prior to the June start date B) Boy was I wrong.

What brought me to make such a rash decision? Long story short, a couple months ago I had the goal to become Key Leader at lululemon. A company that promotes growth and development, I was immediately swept up into a whirlwind of leadership conversations regarding my strengths and areas of opportunity. This forced me to really look inside myself. It was overwhelming, especially because I was awaken to how much self work I had to reach my goal and how much room I actually had to grow and develop – thus began my journey to self discovery. 

40 Days came up on my radar when a fellow educator suggested the 40 Days program to me (shoutout Jill!). I hemmed and hawed at first. Not only did the mediation, journaling and community meetings seem like a lot of work, but it also just didn't seem like me. That evening after Natalie’s Jam class, she also suggested the program to the class raving about her amazing experience. So thanks to a mix of peer pressure, my willingness to find myself, and my new goal to “Do It Now,” I was forced out of my comfort zone and signed up. Fast forward 40 days from that date, and I can say with a big smile that I completed my first 40 Days! It wasn’t easy (ahem meditation), and life certainly caught up to me: I admit to missing 4 days of yoga on non-rest days, cheating with canned tomato soup on my fruit cleanse and cursing at drivers who cut me off during our equanimity week, but I did it and I don't regret one moment of it (including my meatless 3 days).

Each and every participant's 40 Days is a little different. My 40 Days was a journey to open my inward perception and expand my outward awareness. On day 1, I wrote “I am letting go of judgment, jealousy & resentment. I am committed to having a breakthrough in my relationships.” If you know me, I’m a tough cookie, I often hide behind my smile, avoid confrontation, and I don't talk about my feelings - ever. The program really forced me to look inside and break down those walls. I now had to open myself up to my biggest critic: myself. Everything I tried to hide from myself about the reality of who I was soon became uncovered, and it was frightening/shocking/disheartening/revitalizing/uplifting all at the same time.

So where am I now? I’ve learned that sometimes you need to break down to build up. I sought out my true feelings and I found the strength in being completely and utterly vulnerable. I came out with a better relationship with myself and I couldn't ask for anything else, because this truly is the foundation for every other relationship in my life. Only 40 days ago I was constantly fighting my monkey mind, I was self-centered, unaware and devoid of everything around me - fortunately, change can happen. Now, presence has been brought into every moment, compassion has flourished in every relationship, and confidence has shattered every doubt. Why shouldn't the world only see the best you, too?

 

 

 

 (Photos by Riley Found)

Shake Your Asana

 • "Ditch the Workout, Join the Party" •

 Spotted @  Rhythm & Motion Dance Studio

                  3352 Dundas St W

 Who:  Marlison danced, laughed and worked up a mean sweat at Miguel's Zumba class! Rather new to Zumba, we were unsure of what to expect when we walked into the studio, but we're so glad we were greeted by Miguel's vibrant smile! Miguel was born and raised in Barcelona and moved to Canada to pursue the love of his life. With 10 years of ballroom, hip hop and modern dance experience, Zumba comes naturally to Miguel, who is also Can-Fit-Pro Certified. His enthusiasm and passion is infectious and will inspire you to just feel the music as you let go of your inhibitions on the dance floor. This is where his bubbly personality and high energy shines, and you can't help but want to join in on the fun! An outgoing and open guy, we spent an hour after class chatting with him and we were so inspired by his outlook on life. When he's not teaching Zumba, Miguel's a part-time photographer and a full-time fireball! 

 What:  Zumba with Miguel

Dubbed as the "latin-inspired, east-to-follow, calorie burning, dance-fitness party," Zumba is the newest workout craze! Zumba Fitness has 11,000 certified instructors in 35 countries teaching over 2 million devoted students on a weekly basis. Fusing Latin flavor with hypnotic rhythms and tantalizing moves, while combining fast and slow rhythms with resistance training, Zumba is designed to tone and sculpt your body in a fun and easy workout. In Miguel's class you are constantly moving, dancing to more than 10 songs each class = burning anywhere from 500 to 900 calories an hour! Woah!

 Wore:  Marlison channeled their inner zumbi in Studio Pants (Don't forget to use the drawstring when you get hot ..Or if you're like Alison and had to get them hemmed, you can tie them up!) Marlene kept cool in her CRB while Alison donned her lightweight Burnout Tank.

 

 When:  Zumba classes are held every Thursday at 6:30 pm. Marlison couldn't wait for more and bought a 5 class pass - we'll see you there every Thursday in July!

 Why Zumba?  Zumba is a full body workout that is exhilarating and will tone and tighten your body from head to toe. The moves are simple and easy to pick up on and what's even easier is losing yourself in the music - the exotic rhythms and high-energy international beats will have your energy levels soarin' and your body instantly movin'! Alison may not be the best dancer but loves to move (even if it comes out awkward) and loved that she was able to just let go and show up big! Marlene has latin roots and a background in salsa dancing so it was inevitable for her to highly enjoy Zumba. What's great is that there were ladies of all ages and experience in attendance, and it's such a fun workout you'll want to bring all your friends along, too!

Back at Sherway, ladies will always come in looking for Zumba outfits. It is in these conversations that we've heard so many amazing stories of guests who have shed pounds dancing, jumping, and spinning around on the dance floor (and even shouting from time to time, too!). Naturally, we couldn't wait to try out this workout craze and once we were finally there, we couldn't help but have a huge smile on our faces the entire time!

Don't know how to dance? Don't worry, just move your body and follow Miguel's lead.. There's no right or wrong way when it comes to dancing!