Flickr: sun dazed

Boot camps seem to be the ‘in’ thing to do these days and I’m starting to feel a bit left out that I don’t have one to go to. Usually 5-6 weeks in length these boot camps are apparently supposed to make you sweat and lose inches fast.

For those of you looking for some Toronto area boot camp ideas I have scanned the web for a few that sound kind of interesting!

1. Bridal boot camp is for brides looking to tone up for their wedding day. According to their website they have helped 100s of brides achieve their fitness goals and look fabulous on their most special day.
2. Belly boot camp is geared towards “mommies in training” and offers women who are pregnant the opportunity to work out in a group setting with other pregnant ladies. They also offer a “bellies and babes” boot camp for the women looking to get back to their pre-pregnancy shape.
3. Pilates boot camp at Core Studio offers Pilates lovers the opportunity to take their training up a notch with some simple cardio and strength training moves. Their boot camps run throughout the year.
4. Wanting to look bikini ready all-year round (you just never know!) then the Bikini Boot camp is for you. They also seem to offer some free tryout sessions, so you can check out their offerings before committing.
5. Finally, for those of you just wanting a plain old regular whip you into shape boot camp there is something for you – Tara Postnikoff and Dr. Sarah Cohen will be running a fall boot camp that is held twice a week and is guaranteed to help you lose inches.

Yes, there truly is a boot camp for everyone. I wonder if we will every get our own version of the Thank Dog Boot Camp? If I was a betting person I would say that this time next year there will be one. Hey, maybe someone will even invent a boot camp that you can do with your cats?

Flickr: adria.richards

I recently have realized that if I want to have any chance of beating Oprah’s Marine Corps marathon time in October I will need to up the ante a bit. Along with a good friend of mine I decided to hire a personal trainer for the months leading up to the marathon. (Note: Doing semi-privates with a personal trainer definitely cuts down on the cost, but make sure that you have similar goals and time availability as your friend before committing to do this together.)

Hiring a personal trainer is kind of like finding the perfect boyfriend as it takes some time to actually find one that you are compatible with. After a couple of “Mr. You aren’t quite what we are looking for” we found someone who has the ability to whip us into shape, challenge us to try new things and also put up with our “We can’t do this” whining. The best part is that after only a few sessions with this trainer I have actually seen improvements in what I can do. So, who is the trainer?

Meet Tara Postnikoff – Tara is the founder and owner of Healthy Eating Active Living (H.E.A.L.) and apart from being a kick ass personal trainer she is also a registered nutritionist (have since hired her to help sort out my nutritional needs). She has run a number of half marathons, marathon and triathlons, so really understands the needs of athletic people. She’s kind of like the female version of Tommy Europe from the Last 10 Pounds Bootcamp.

I recently asked Tara what her top 5 exercises were for getting into shape and here they are – no equipment (or no excuses) required:

1. Planks – builds great core strength and everyone needs a strong core
2. Walking lunges – great lower body workout for the butt, thighs and calves
3. Push ups – great for upper body and core strength.
4. Push planks – good core and upper body workout.
5. Burpees – total body + cardio- really gets the heart pumping

Why is it that all of the exercises I hate doing are the best ones for me?

If you are interested in finding out more about Tara and what she offers check out her website. She also works out of Absolute Endurance in the Davisville area.