The Gauntlet

My friend Erik has been talking about the Gauntlet for a while, in fact, he even made a Blog Post about it.  So I have decided, in looking for a challange, I'm going to run the Gauntlet with Erik tonight :) 

The Gaunlet is comprised of Balletone, followed immediately by Pump & Groove and Dance Quickie + Abs, equalling 3 straight hours of having a two tiny bubbly girls kick your ass.

I hear they delight in the prospect of making you throw up...

Let me present to you - the Gauntlet:

Balletone is a fusion-style conditioning program, designed specifically for the non-dancer, blending training techniques drawn from dance, Pilates and fitness. Balletone offers a fun, invigorating workout to develop core strength, muscular endurance, dynamic balance and flexibility without the use of equipment or props. Referred to as "...fitness for the millennium", Balletone keeps you moving, motivated and mentally focused with a body blasting workout that leaves no muscle untouched.

Pump & Groove takes your workout to the MAX! Intervals of strength and toning exercises and high energy, easy to follow dance cardio segments will work your entire body! Each class will includes a variety of Urban and World dance styles to the latest chart topping tracks sure to keep you pumping and grooving through the whole class!

Dance Quickie! Each week we will try a different genre ranging from Latin, Jazz, Hip Hop, Country, Disco, African, Bollywood and much, much, more!  This 45 minute program will get you moving and grooving to the music, for a fast and effective, low impact workout suitable for all ages and fitness levels.  In the hour long version of this class, we increase the intensity of the dance section and include 15 minutes of abdominal and core strengthening and toning.




Although I've been running a couple times a week, I feel as though I need a good "kick my ass" workout to really get my butt in gear about losing some weight - and from what my friends have told me, these classes are the way to do it.  I do a lot of Cardio.  I love dancing, and can go for hours without even feeling slightly fatigued, which is why I need to up my intensity if I want to get the workout my body craves.  And while other's would be dreading such an intense workout, I'm really excited for it! 

Truth be told, I'm one of those weird people who LOVE when I wake up to sore muscles.  I love flexing my arms to feel the quick throb of pain in response - it makes me feel like I've done something.  Like I've put in the work, and my muscles are growing and changing as a result. 

I've never been a treadmill person... in fact I hate the treadmill.  I love walking outside, or running stairs, or doing a HIIT DVD, but I hate the monotonous routine of walking in one place.  I find I spend the whole time counting down until I reach my 10 minutes and can get off.  I always preferred the workout classes at the gym for my cardio, and I have an awesome collection of workout DVD's that get me moving and sweating more than a treadmill ever could. 

She kicks my ass... and I love it!

I'm actually going to get back into lifting weights too - Ben and I did a weight program every morning for 3 months, I felt stronger and leaner, but unfortunately I ate the extra calories my new muscles burned, so I didn't see the weight loss, but I've learned from my mistakes, and I think I can see some really awesome results this time around.

It also helps when your spouse is also like minded in health and fitness - it's less of a struggle when you have a perma workout buddy!  Even Camping a couple weeks ago, Ben and I went for a run together.  It's so awesome to make this life change together with your life partner (which totally makes him sound like my lesbian lover... but you get what I'm trying to say).

Tonight however, Ben didn't want to run the Gauntlet with Erik and I, but he will be doing his own running as he's training for the 5K Spartan Sprint on Saturday in Calgary, which is a little too advanced for my fitness level just yet - but one day I hope to run it along side with him.  But until then, I will run the Gauntlet along side my good friend Erik :) 

Update Aug 15, 2011

I feel as though I need to write something, and yet I'm not feeling inspired with a topic...  so this will be an update of what's been going on for me these last few weeks :)


**Ben and I have decided to rock the Protein shakes for breakfast, rather than our regular toast and margarine, and so far, we're definitely feeling good about the choice.  We went through Body by Vi, (which everyone and their dog seems to be selling these days, but that's not the point)  we were looking for something low cal, with high protein and fiber, and this shake offered it.  It also tastes pretty good too - so there's that.  We've been making them with 1% Milk with ground Flax and bananas in it.  It's very creamy and definitely one of the better shakes I've ever had.

**  Ben and I helped celebrate two of our very best friends get married on Saturday.  Ben has known Amanda for 7-8+ years through a company they both used to work for, and then when she met Brett, Ben and him got really close too.  I met both of them almost 3 years ago, and they are fast becoming some of our favorite people, we even make a point of visiting them every Feb long weekend in Sask where Brett is stationed as RCMP.  This last Saturday, Ben stood up with Brett as a Groomsmen, and I did Amanda's makeup, and helped with decorating (writing on cars with car chalk is fun!) - it was a great party, and Amanda and Brett never looked more in love than they did on Saturday:

** Ben and I finally got around to digging out the flower bed so we could apply a water proof membrane over the stucco on the side of the garage.  The former owners clearly were not aware that stucco is very porous and allowed the moisture from the dirt in the flower bed to seep into the walls of the garage, which, if left untreated, would soon rot.  We've actually been waiting 2 months for more than 2 days of sun in a row so we could dig out the flower bed, and that finally happened on Tuesday night, and then we had to wait a couple days for the wall to dry so we could apply our sealant - which we did Sunday.  One flower bed down, one more to go (which will wait until Sept, since it's full of perennials, and there's no way we can do this without killing them). 

I'm out of the frame... supervising

** I got together with Courtney - a Lash Extension Pro, Melissa - a photographer, and Caitlyn - a hairdresser to do some Lash extension promo shots on 4 lucky ladies.  We all worked together in Courtneys studio, and had a great "assembly line" going, first the girls would get "Before" pictures with Melissa, and then would go to Courney for eye lash extensions, and then see me for makeup, and finally visit Caitlyn for hair.  It was a fun day, and the first picture posted from the shoot turned out really great!

** Oh Ben and I also celebrated Amanda and Brett's last "single night out" with their Staggette and Stag respectively.  The night was great fun, and although I can't speak for Ben, Amanda's stag was probably one of the most fun bachelorettes I've ever attended - which is saying something considering I was at a country bar.  I think I need to to give props to the amazing ladies I have in my life that made that such a great night, Amanda especially who was up for anything, and even rode the mechanical bull!!

Well I think those are the main events, although I'm sure I'm missing several other big things.  We've been so busy lately I can't even remember what we did last week, let alone several weeks ago!

Tonight, Ben and I are going to have a light dinner, and then he's going to go for a run to train for the Spartan Sprint that he's participating in on Saturday, and I'm headed off for a massage... life is hard!  I have a sweet hook up with an awesome massage therapist, I teach her makeup lessons, or do her makeup for free for weddings and special events, and she returns the favor by giving me massages :)   It's a pretty awesome arrangement!