My profile was published!!!

I had blogged about entering a contest back in October http://acyclepsycho.blogspot.com/2010/10/i-entered-contest-yesterday.html that I ended up being one of a few winners!!

Well, I got the email this morning and I was jumping up and down with excitement (nearly spilling my oatmeal) to see my name on the Spinning Member monthly email!!

Here is my attempt to show you what I saw in my email (mine is "ride like you mean it"):

Here is the profile - please keep in mind, these are songs that I was using back in October, they may be a bit old and played out by now.

http://www.spinning.com/images/20111RideLikeYouMeanIt.pdf

Enjoy! 

ps - I forgot my iphone at home today : (  so I can't post my Core Revolution profile until tomorrow.  Sorry!



For my pal Jenny

I have a great friend who had a great question about using her indoor stationary bike that she has at her house.  She wanted to know how to burn lots of calories by using resistance, time and speed.  My response was that this is a loaded question!  As certified instructors, we spend many hours learning how to use resistance, cadence and heart rate to make the perfect workout.

Here is what I found to be helpful from spinning.com:

http://www.spinning.com/spinning-enthusiasts/training-tips.asp

I bet lots of folk like my friend Jenny are looking for ways to beat the cold and workout indoors in their own homes.  I hope this helps you all out!!

Angela

Daily Revolution 12-23-10

I know, I know, I am way late with this profile.  Better late than never?  I hope you all enjoyed yourselves this holiday season!

This class consisted of about 25 minutes of total body work.  I used lower weight and high repetitions.  We did back, bi's, tri's, shoulders, legs, you name it!  Once we stretched a bit, we hopped on the bikes for 45 minutes of cycling.

Warm Up
Gimme Sympathy - Metric

Hills - moderate resistance, in and out of the saddle
Le Disko - Shiny Toy Guns

Running Hills - little heavier resistance, explode out of the saddle to position "3" for short surges of power
The Sex is Good - Saving Abel

Intervals - bring the heart rates up to 85-92% of the maximum for about 45 seconds, then recover for about 25 seconds.  Repeat!
Imma Be - Black Eyed Peas

Sprints - 15 seconds at a time.  Super heavy resistance, go as fast and as hard as you can out of the saddle.  Repeat 3x.
Blood Sugar - Pendulum

Recovery/Jumps - recover from sprints for about 1 minute and 30 seconds.  Then, 4 count jumps from "1" to "2".  3 sets with moderate resistance.
Great DJ- The Ting Tings

Running/Standing Flats
Proper Education (clubmix)- Eric Prydz vs. Floyd

Hills
My Body - Young the Giant - I love the words in this song!!!

Climb - seated and standing, lots of resistance
Chemical brothers vs. Smashing Pumpkins mashup - DJ lobsterdust

Climb - super heavy, slow and steady pace
Coming Home - P Diddy

Cool Down
It's Christmas - The Christmas Gig

*Quick Note*

I will be subbing for Nancy on Thursday night (12/23) at 6:30pm.  Its a Daily Revolution class and I hope to see you there!!

Core Revolution 12-21-10

After a shirt change, a chug of water and some new faces, I was ready to teach class #2 of the night!!  I always find myself blushing when someone takes the time to personally thank me for a good class.  It has been happening more often from some new folks and that makes me smile.

Warm Up
The Right Life - Seal

Hills
Oh My - Gin Wigmore

Running Flats - 2 minutes in the saddle, then the last minute and 40 seconds standing
Self Contro (Club Edit) - Paffendorf

Running Flats - start standing on a small hill, then back off slightly from the resistance, sit down and pedal fast (~100 rpm)
Evacuate the Dance Floor - Cascada

Jumps/Jumps on a Hill - 4 count, then 2 count for the last set
I Know You Want Me - Pitbull

Climb - super heavy in and out of the saddle.  Push in the saddle for 30 seconds at a time to exhaust  the muscles.
What's My Name - Rihanna

Climb - take the resistance down a bit, push at "3", then in the saddle with a surge of power for 40 seconds at time.
Love, Hate, Sex Pain - Godsmack

Running Hills - keep up a consistant cadence while piling on more and more resistance
The Good Life - Three Days Grace

Sprints - 15 seconds, 20 seconds, 20 seconds, 20 seconds.  2 out at "3", 2 seated.  Heavy resistance the entire time.
Propane Nightmares - Pendullum

Recovery/Running Flats
Airplanes (Human Jive Remix) -

Hills/Climb
All of the Lights (clean version) - Kanye West

Endurance Run - keep a steady, quick cadence while making the flat road into a small hill
Eminence Front - The Who

Interval Revolution 12/21/10

Teaching this class was so much fun because it was earlier in the evening as per my usual and because all of the participants were so reactive and worked so hard.  Its amazing how much I respond to crowd reactions.  It gets me all fired up!!!

Warm Up
The Right Life  - Seal

Seated and Standing Hills - still getting warmed up, starting to add in some resistance
We R Who We R - Ke$ha

Running Flats - keeping the heart rate elevated.
When Love Takes Over - Kelly Rowland

Intervals - exploding out of the saddle to position "3" to bring heart rates to 85% of the maximum, then back down to the saddle to reduce heart rates, repeat!
Boom Boom 2 - DJs from Mars

Climb - in and out of the saddle.  Super heavy resistance.  Push and pull using the entire leg.
What's My Name - Rihanna

Upper Body Strength Work - bicepts, tricepts, upper back, chest, shoulders.
Stylo - Gorillaz

More Upper Body Strength Work
Electronic Santa - Blazer Force.  I got this song (and others) for free on target.com

Running Flats - in and out of the saddle
Hey Baby - Pitbull

Running Flats - make sure to have a little "hill" under the wheel when standing at "2" to protect your knees and ensure proper form.
Airplanes (Human Jive Remix) - Chani

Upper Body Strength Work
The Time (Dirty Bit) - Black Eyed Peas

Climb - SUPER HEAVY!!
Coming Home - P Diddy

Jumps/Jumps on a Hill - from 1 to 2, then add more resistance and go from 2 to 3, 4 counts, repeat 3x
3 - Brittany Spears

Upper Body Strength Work
Need You Know (CPR remix) - Jimmy Rep

Running Flats - last chance to burn major calories
Disturbia (Jody Den Broeder Remix) - Rihanna

Cool Down
I Believe in Father Christmas - Greg Lake

True Revolution 12-18-10

I subbed a class at 8am (yikes!) last Saturday and it was such a blast!  I had tons of excited people staring at me and giving me lots of positive vibes.  They all worked so hard and we had a fun time together.  I was so flattered because a few folks came up to me and personally thanked me for a good class.  Ah, the little things in life!

Warm Up
Cosmic Love - Florence and the Machine

Hills - standing and seated, about 3 sets
Living in a Dream - Finger Eleven

Standing and Seated Flats
Break your Heart - Taio Cruz (feat. Ludacris)

Running Flats - start on low resistance, gradually increasing little by little every 30 seconds or so.  In the saddle for almost 3 minutes, then exploding out to position "2" to a standing run.
Knock You Out - Tiesto

Climb - seated and out to position "3" gradually increasing resistance to completely maxed out.
Wavin' Flag - K'naan (I loooooooove this song!)

Intervals - 45 seconds of tough work in and out of the saddle, then backing off of the speed and resistance to recover briefly before the next interval.
Christmas in Sarajevo - Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Climb - super heavy, work is in the saddle, 30 seconds at a time
Get Over It - Ok Go

Jumps - 4 count, 3 sets, moderate hill under the pedals.
Shut Up and Let Me Go - The Ting Tings

Sprints - out to position "3", heavy as you can handle. Pedal as fast as you can for 15-20 seconds, 3 sets.
Animals - Nickelback

Recovery/Hills - about 2 minutes of recovery from the sprints.  Let the heart rates lower, catch your breath.
Dog Days are Over - Florence and the Machine (I used a mashed up version)

Hills/Climb
Only Prettier - Miranda Lambert.  Okay, I hate country music, but this song cracks me up!

Running Flats
Boom Boom 2 Mashup - DJs from Mars

Running Hills - small hills, quick pace
The Catalyst - Linkin Park

Cool Down
I Believe in Father Christmas - Greg Lake

Pay it Forward Friday!

I posted a few days ago about the Ride2Recovery fundraising event that I am participating in and organizing again next February:

http://acyclepsycho.blogspot.com/2010/12/ride2recovery-fundraising-event.html

I will most likely post this over and over again until you get so sick of reading about it that you will either;
a) unsubsribe to my blog (please don't!!!)
b) decide to participate with us (yay!)
c) donate (super yay!)

It just so happens that "Celebrity" Jeopardy has been on television during my lunch hour.  The "celebrities" all pick a charity and they all get pretty nice checks to donate to them depending on how they do in the show.  I loooooove Jeopardy and I feel especially intelligent against these folks because of categories like, "Pick a Number between 3 and 5".  Okay, that was obviously a lame joke, but seriously, the answers are so much easier during this week.

How are you paying it forward?

Core Revolution - 12-14-10

I wasn't really in the holiday spirit when I made my playlist, but its still a really good one!  I was so glad that our microphone was working properly tonight.  It made for a really fun and energetic class.

Warm Up
Ride Like the Wind - Fab

Running Hills
Bulletproof - La Roux

Running Flats - seated and standing
Memories - David Guetta feat. Kid Cudi

Running Flats - seated and standing
Gettin' Over You - One Love feat. Fergie

Jumps/Jumps on a Hill - 4 count with plenty of resistance. 
One Thing Leads to Another - INXS

Climb - seated and out to "3".  30 seconds with the resistance maxed out in the saddle to get the heart pumping and the quads screaming.
Rude Boy Resort mashup - DJ Schmolli

Climb - seated and standing with surges of power.  Maximum resistance
All of the Lights (clean version) - Kanye West feat. Rhianna

Recovery then Hills
Dreams - Van Halen.  Apparently, my husband who takes my class thought this song was "corny", so I probably won't be using it again anytime soon!

Running Flats - seated and standing
Hey Baby - Pit Bull feat. T Pain (I love this song!)

Hills - Cadence is quicker, resistance is a moderate hill.  This remains the same throughout the whole song.  As we change body positions, it feels as if we have added in more resistance.
What Part of Forever - Cee Lo Green

Running Hills/Climb - Heavier Resistance, Cadence about 80-90 rpm.  Last song of the night, so really focus and push through the "pressure".
Pressure - Company of Thieves

Cool Down
The Chanukah Song - Adam Sandler

Ride2Recovery Fundraising Event

I hosted this event last year and it was fun, inspiring and a great way to raise money for a wonderful cause.  This year it is being held on 2/26 from 9-11am (at The Revolution if you are nearby).  This event raises money for men and women in the armed forces who are being rehabilitated mentally and/or physically using indoor and outdoor cycling.  Between about 15 of us last year, we raised almost $4000.00!!!

If you would like to register to participate, you may do so by going to: http://www.ride2recovery.com/spinning_nation/

click on "register as a participant", choose "spinning nation", find The Revolution and register for either hour one, hour two or both!  Then, you just have to raise some money.  Folks can donate either online (ride2recovery/spinning_nation.com, then "make a donation") or by check (if they write out checks, have them put your name in the notes section).  More info can be found on their website.

I should be receiving the promotional information asap for anyone that wants some flyers/info to get more donations.

If you would like to sponsor me and not participate, feel free to do so online or by check : )

If you have any questions, please post them on here.
Thank you!

Dear Monday...

...why do you have to get here so quickly?  I had another busy, but fun weekend in good ole' Upstate NY.  We had a fabulous meal at the Beekman Street Bistro after our Bodypump class (yes, I showered in between!).  I ate way too much of the multi grain bread, but it was just so good!  I had Artic Char with brussel sprouts for my entree and it was perfection!  Jer had the apple cider chicken and he said it was amazing as well. 

Since I am still nursing this stupid chest cold, I decided not to workout at all on Saturday.  We ran a bunch of errands that afternoon.  Then, I made, rolled and dipped about 250 cake balls  (http://www.bakerella.com/) for almost 4 hours!  I had no idea how labor intensive they would be!  I also whipped up some "hot chocolate on a stick" (http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/blog/2009/12/02/hot-chocolate-on-a-stick/) for my lovely coworkers at The Revolution. 

Sunday was our annual cookie exchange with the girls and we had a really fun time together.  I was the only one that wasn't either a mommy, an expecting mommy or an adopting mommy.  It was kind of nice that I only had myself and my purse to carry out of the door!  I don't know how some of my friends do it!

Needless to say, Monday morning came awfully fast!  But, I did have a fantastic breakfast of Oat Revolution oatmeal and some blueberries.  http://www.betteroats.com/oats/oat_revolution/classic/  The oatmeal is 160 calories and full of whole grain goodness!  You just pour it into a bowl, fill up the paper pouch with water, add that to the bowl and microwave for 2 minutes.  It seriously was so good and I will be eating this for many mornings to come!!

Enjoy your day!

Ab-solute Revolution 12 - 7 -10

I have switched classes and now teach Tuesday nights and the class is almost like my "core revolution", but its 60 minutes of spinning, plus 10-15 minutes of ab work. 

Here is how it shaped up!

Warm Up - 80-110rpms, light stretching, breathing and pedal stroke exercises. 
Gimme Sympathy - Metric

Running Flats
Feel Alive - Benassi Bros.

Running Hills - moderate to steep hills, in and out of the saddle
Boom Boom 2 (mashup) -DJ's from Mars

Climb - steady cadence, heavy resistance
Coming Home - P. Diddy

Climb - still heavy resistance, changing to a quicker pace a few times for a surge of power out of the saddle
Christmas/Sarajevo - Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Recovery/Hills - about 45 -60 seconds of recovery, then onto little hills
We R Who We R - Ke$ha

Climb - in and out of the saddle, gradually increasing until you are maxed out
Bang Pop - Free Energy

Hills - faster cadence in the saddle, then out to "3" keeping the pace and gradually increasing resistance
Like a G6 - Far East Movement

Running Flats/Hills/Climb - this is the most challenging part of the ride.  Start in the saddle, fast cadence, then up for a standing run, then out to "3" increase the resistance and keep it quick.  Last minute is in the saddle for a sprint
Painkiller - Freestylers

Climb
Power (clean version) - Kanye West

Hills
Electric Feel - MGMT

Standing and Seated Hills - quick cadence, gradually increasing resistance
King of Pain - Police

Running Hills
New in Town - Little Boots

Seated and Standing Flat - go all out!  Quick, little resistance, don't give up its only 2:45!!!!
What I Want - Daughtry

Cool Down
I Believe in Father Christmas - Greg Lake

How to avoid gaining extra holiday pudge (no, I didn't say fudge!)

If you are anything like me, you worry each and every holiday season that you will gain 20 pounds.  I don't know if its that the holidays put me in an especially good mood, or if its that I am surrounded by delicious snacks and treats that I usually only have once a year, but I feel myself compromising my good senses and indulging more often than usual.

I also find myself on the scale each morning in fear that those holiday pounds are already creeping onto my thighs.  Luckily, I made it through Thanksgiving without gaining and am still holding my weight steady as of this morning (yay!).

I am by no means a trained professional (although I did minor in nutrition at Syracuse University) and you should always consult your doctor before changing your diet, but here are a few tricks that I use to make sure I can enjoy the holidays without suffering with the guilt and pounds on January 2nd.

Office Party:
If it is a potluck type situation make sure that you bring something that is tasty, festive and health conscious.  That way, you can fill up on your own dish and just try a bit or two of the more calorie dense foods.  I have brought things like hummus with pitas and fresh veggies, homemade salsa verde with blue corn tortilla chips, flatbread pizzas, shrimp with tequila cocktail sauce or how about a big salad with tons of roasted veggies?  I like to use cookinglight.com for recipe ideas also.

House/Cocktail Party:
Here is a great article on cocktails that are fun, festive and lower in calories. http://www.cookinglight.com/eating-smart/smart-choices/holiday-cocktails-00412000069027/
I also suggest eating dinner or a meal before going to one of these events.  That way, you are not feeling the urge to graze on less than healthy options all night long.  We all know that after a few cocktails, you could be more likely to forget all about your good eating habits and splurge.  It only takes an extra 100 calories per day to gain 10 pounds in a year!

Brunch:
I love brunch.  It could very well be my favorite meal.  Try focusing on filling your plate with lots of fruits and veggies.  Quiches and dishes with rich sauces are going to be a major calorie pitfall for you.  If you can get eggs made to order, have one scrambled with some spinach or other veggies and a little bit of Tabasco.  They will be super flavorful and save you some calories that you can spend on that muffin that has been staring at you! 

The Big Holiday Dinner:
My family (for some reason) likes to have an early dinner on Christmas, like around 3pm.  We usually get to my mom's house around 1pm or so and that is when all of her yummy appetizers are served.  Who can pass up spinach and artichoke dip?  Not me!!  For me, its all about balance and spending my calories how and when I want to throughout the day.  So, if I have some yummy dip, I try to eat a big salad with my dinner and avoid that dinner roll with real butter.  Again, I try to fill my plate with mostly veggies, lean protein and a few good carbs.  I enjoy my dinner, but I don't feel guilty or stuffed by the end of the night.

So, all in all, its all about spending your calories how and when you want to.  I am allowed about 2000 calories a day and I try to stick to that even at Christmas dinner.  You should always enjoy yourself, so don't focus on counting each calorie, but try to be a little aware of what you are consuming. 

Happy Holidays!  Can you find the fat kitty in the picture?

Pay it Forward Friday

I always try to give back during the Holiday season, whether it is donating toys for Toys for Tots (toysfortots.org) or donating food items to a local food pantry.  Throughout the rest of the year, I donate money to different organizations (SPCA, Christopher Dailey Foundation (christopherdaileyfoundation.com), etc.). 

So, don't forget to give back to your community in any way that you can this holiday season to benefit someone (or some animal) that is less fortunate than you.  A little bit really goes a long way!

Are you donating to any organizations this holiday season?

My physical therapy was a success! Goodbye hip pain!

About 3 years ago I was experiencing pain that would start on my right hip and would work its way down all the way to my toes.  It was kind of a dull-ish pain that was achy and then at times stinging depending on my position.  I went to physical therapy about 4 times and they told me it was piriformis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piriformis_syndrome).  They gave me some tips on how to stretch and what exercises would "loosen" it up for me.  Spinning was the best thing that I found to remedy my pain and after a few weeks, I had gotten rid of my pain in my ass (pun intended)!

Flash - forward to a few weeks ago: the pain in my ass was back!  Ugh!  So, I tried my stretches, broke out my foam roller and still was experiencing wincing pain all down my right side.

This is obviously not me in the picture.

I went back to physical therapy a couple weeks ago to find out that it was not piriformis syndrome, but my lower back that was causing my nerves to be pinched and for my sciatica to be acting up.

He gave me more stretches to do, mostly laying on my back and bringing my knees into my chest, then back down.  I do this for 10 reps, 4-5 times a day.  These stretches really help to relieve the pain and I was surprised and thankful that their was an easy solution to my pain.

He also said that for the next few months I should not do any kind of movement that would cause me to arch my back, such as:

back kicks in Bodycombat

any kind of glute work (like in my barre class that I was loving)

back bends in yoga (darn!  I was so good at those!)

supermans (I do these all the time when I teach my Core Revolution class)

So, I have changed my routine a bit, but it is paying off because the pain in my ass is gone for now!!

Manic Monday

I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving!  It was really nice being off from work for a few days, but that didn't mean that I was going to skip my workouts also.  Its nice that Jer and I live close to both of our families, so we really didn't have much traveling to do for Turkey Day.

I thought I would post my holiday week workouts so that you can see that even though your normal routine may be thrown off a bit, you can still workout successfully. 

Also, according to my trusty scale, I didn't gain an ounce this Thanksgiving!

Monday - lifted heavy weights - bi's and back, taught 55 minute spin class and followed that up with 15 minutes of core work.

Tuesday - bodystep and bodycombat classes (fun!)

Wednesday - OFF

Thursday - ran a 5k Turkey Trot.  I was able to complete it in my fastest time yet, 31:11 thanks to a friend motivating me!

Friday - taught a 75 minute spin/core class.

Saturday - OFF

Sunday - OFF

I didn't feel so guilty for taking both Saturday and Sunday off because my hamstrings really needed a break and I worked hard all week.

Core Revolution 11/26/10

Well, hello friends!  Sorry I have been slacking on my blog posts lately.  I have been busy eating turkey, lol!

Here is my profile from my Black Friday ride.  I team taught with a wonderful instructor named George.  He suggested that we do about 30 minutes on the bike, then down to the mats for some floor work, then back on the bikes for the last 30 minutes.  It was wonderful and the crowd seemed to really enjoy it, despite our lack of microphone : (

Warm Up
Love Generation - Bob Sinclair

Running Hills
We R Who We R - Ke$ha

Climb - seated and standing
Hot Tottie - Usher

Climb - steep and fast paced!
More Human than Human - Rob Zombie

Hills
The Sex is Good - Saving Abel

Intervals - switching in between running flats, recovery and a little hill
Imma Be - Black Eyed Peas

Hills - moderate resistance, switching from seated to standing.
Lift me Up - Moby

It's almost turkey day!

Is everyone getting ready for the biggest eating holiday of the year?  Considering that I made an entire Thanksgiving Day dinner last Sunday, I am a little "turkey-ed out", but I will manage!

I have the Turkey Trot 5k in the morning, so I will have to behave tonight on the biggest drinking night of the year.  I think Jerry and I are going to go out for some cocktails and an early dinner.  Conveniently, I can pick up my Turkey Trot gear right in town before dinner.

The weather looks like it will be around 30 degrees and clear, so that is good news.  Although I am not a runner by any means, I don't find the 3.1 miles all that challenging.  What I do find difficult is breathing in that cold air first thing in the morning.  I end up coughing for two days following that run.

Good luck to all my fellow Turkey Trotters and Happy Thanksgiving!

Core Revolution 11-22-10

My friend and I took a wonderful Spinning continuing education class on Sunday that taught us all about interval training.  We learned that with proper recovery, your body is more likely to burn fat instead of carbs that we need for energy.  I worked in some intervals into my ride last night and according to my heart rate monitor, I burned almost 100 more calories than usual! 

I have also decided to tweak the way I am posting my rides.  From some great feedback, I learned that I don't really need to break down each ride so much.  If you want more information on my rides, just send me a note!

Warm Up
Unk vs. Avril Lavigne - DJ Lobsterdust

Seated Flat
Ecuador - Sash!

Climb - seated and standing
Empire State of Mind - Jay Z

Running Hills - seated and standing using lots of resistance and a quicker cadence
Cameras - Matt & Kim (I am in LOVE with this song!!!)

Seated Flat - this will turn into some seated, fast hills
The Catalyst - Linkin Park

Hills - explode out of the saddle with increased resistance and increased cadence for about 45 seconds at a time.
We R Who We R - Ke$ha

Jumps/Jumps on a Hill
Hey Baby - Pitbull, feat. TPain

Running Hills - 90 second intervals (heavy and fast out at 3), 30 second recovery - we did this 4x
Indestructible - Disturbed

Climb
What's My Name? - Rihanna & Drake

Seated and Standing Run
Circle the Drain - Katy Perry

Sprints on a Hill - super heavy - 20 seconds at time (4x), then lots of recovery in between
Everybody Wants Some!! - Van Halen

Black Friday isn't just for shopping.

When I was about 23 or so, I tried Black Friday shopping.  I had no plan, no buddy with me, not a lot of money and no clue what I was in for.  I woke up at about 4:00 am, went to Best Buy and stood in the back of a huge line in the freezing cold rain.  Once inside, I was almost trampled and was found myself just wandering around.  I left with one CD and a lot of aggravation.  Never.again.ever.

These days, I love nothing more than a good workout on Black Friday!  I am so lucky that I was asked to team teach a spin class that morning with my fellow awesome instructors.  Its going to be an absolute blast and I am sure everyone will be thankful to burn off those extra calories from the feast the day before.

Do you have a "morning after" ritual?

Core Revolution 11-15-10

My 5th week of teaching at The Revolution was last night and I thought it was time to teach a different kind of spinning profile.  I concentrated heavily on strength training for this ride, meaning, lots of mountains to climb!

Warm Up - Intensity: 50-65% mhr, Cadence: 80-110 rpm. 
Start a Fire - Ryan Star

Running Hills - Intensity: 80-85% mhr, Cadence: 80-110 rpm.
I Like It - Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull (I played this as a member request)

Climb - Intensity: 80-85% mrh, Cadence: 60-80 rpm, This is super heavy in and out of the saddle.
The Sex is Good - Saving Abel

Climb - Intensity: 80-85% mrh, Cadence: 60-80 rpm, again, super heavy, nice steady pace.
Sweet Emotion - Aerosmith

Sprints - Intensity: 85-92%, Cadence: 80-110 rpm.  Super heavy resistance when you break through the gear at 3.
Day 'N' Night - Kid Cudi

Running Flats, Small Hills, Standing Run-  Intensity: 80-85%, Cadence - 75-100 rpm.  We switch up the resistance and our position during this song.
Drown in the Now - Crystal Method and Matisyahu

Climb - Intensity: 80-85% mrh, Cadence: 60-80 rpm.  Max out the resistance and maintain a steady climb.
Rich Girl

Seated and Standing Hills - Intensity: 70-80%, Cadence: 80-100 rpm.
Cascade - Deluka

Jumps/Jumps on a Hill - Intensity: 75-85%, Cadence: 70-90 rpm.  4 counts from position 1 to 2.  Then, 4 counts from position 2 to 3.  End with a fast climb.
Come on Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners

Climb - Intensity: 80-85% mrh, Cadence: 60-80 rpm.  Seated and standing while a heavy gear is under the wheel.  Push and pull using the entire leg.
Beautiful Dangerous - Fergie and Slash

Hills - Intensity: 80-85%, Cadence: 80-100rpm.  Moderate hill for resistance, constantly adding it on more and more until the end of the song.
Hot Tottie - Usher and Jay Z

Seated and Standing Flats - Intensity: 85-92%, Cadence: 80-110 rpm.  A little fast work right at the end to spike heart rates.
Proper Education - Eric Prydz vs. Floyd

I am a winner!!!

Remember a few weeks ago I blogged about entering a profile contest through Spinning.com ( http://acyclepsycho.blogspot.com/2010/10/i-entered-contest-yesterday.html) ? 

Well....I won!!!!!  My profile was chosen to be featured in one of the Spin Monthly Member Profile e-mails!!  I don't know how many were entered, but its very flattering that the best of the best in my profession recognized my hard work.  I also got a little $10 off coupon for being chosen. 

If these terms are not familiar to you, a profile is basically your ride that you create.  You have to keep in mind, maximum heart rate percentages, RPM's, music, time, etc. to make a good profile. 

As soon as I get my email with my profile featured, I will post it on here for you guys so you can take a look.

Yay!

Weekend Whirlwind

My apologies for being M.I.A. all weekend, but I was super busy (what's new?). Friday my husband and I managed to get to the gym to do a Bodypump class (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Les-Mills-Body-Pump/55056212095) at 5:30 pm.  I have grown to love working out during "happy hour" because the classes are barely full and that means you have tons of space and you don't have to fight over equipment.  That night I went to my Godmother's house for a jewelry party, where I won the door prize!  It was a really pretty beaded necklace to match the earrings I had purchased.

I woke up bright an early Saturday and headed to The Revolution with a friend for Barre Revolution (myrevnow.com).  It was taught by my boss who is an excellent and fun instructor.  She did about 45 minutes of spin followed by an intense 30 minutes of barre work (it incorporates ballet barre work, pilates and yoga).  600 calories burned later, I was feeling great and ready to tackle my day.

Here comes the worst part of my weekend - CPR recertification from 1pm - 5pm.  I have to do this year after year and each time I go the instructor is more boring than the last one, but none of the material is changed or updated, so its pretty lame.  I inquired whether or not they were going to update their information and have us just do chest compressions instead of the 2 breathes than compressions and the instructor told me that the American Heart Association is doing that, but not the Red Cross.  Hmm.  Either way, I was not learning anything new.  I wish that they could give you a kind of placement test in the beginning.  If you can properly demonstrate CPR and rescue breathing, you should get your card and go.  What are your thoughts?

Saturday night Jerry and I tried out a great new restaurant in town and then headed out to watch a band play with some of our friends and family.  It was so much fun to laugh, dance and catch up with everyone.

On Sunday, we cleaned up the condo a bit and then just lounged around and watched some football.  The Buffalo Bills won their very first game of the season!!!   For the past three Sunday's, I have been trying out a new soup or dinner recipe.  I made a really good homemade chili yesterday for the first time.  I only used one jalapeno because I was scared that it would be too spicy.  Next time, I will follow the recipe and use two.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/beef-chili-recipe/index.html  It only had about 186 calories per serving also!  Yum!!

How was your weekend?

Follow my blog with bloglovin

Pay it Forward Friday - Ride 2 Recovery

I just got the confirmation from my boss at The Revolution that we will be hosting an event through Spinning Nation that raises money for Ride 2 Recovery!  I did this event last year and it was a great success raising lots of money for those in need.

http://www.ride2recovery.com/spinning_nation/

Ride 2 Recovery raises money for men and women in the armed forces who are being rehabilitated using cycling (indoor and outdoor).  They provide bikes, helmets, trainers, etc. to get injured vets back to feeling good again.

Various gyms and fitness facilities from across the nation all participate on the same day, which is February 26, 2011.  I tried to incorporate some motivational and patriotic music into my ride last year to keep up our spirits and to remind us all of who we are doing this for.  I gave my riders the option of staying either for one hour or two and they all decided to stay for the entire ride.  It was very inspiring and heart warming.

Here are some goofy pictures from my group last year. We had a blast and raised almost $4000.00 for this worthy cause!  They shipped us t-shirts so we would look more unified and they sent me a really nice jersey.

I will update you of when and how to make donations when the date gets a little closer!!

Live well,
Angela

The Biggest Loser teaches Spin!!

I get an email once a month for being a member of Spinning and this month there was a great article that featured a few of the Biggest Loser contestants!  I love watching the portions of the show when they are pedaling away!

Enjoy!

http://www.spinning.com/spinning-instructor-news/2010-11-2.asp

Core Revolution 11-8-10

Yesterday we had a wintry mix of rain, sleet, hail and snow for the first time since last Spring.  I thought for sure my class would consist of me and my husband, but to my surprise, I had a room full of die - hard's that wouldn't let a little snow stand in their way!  Here is what our workout looked like.

Endurance ride - ~50 minutes.

Warm Up - Intensity: 50-65%, Cadence: 80-110 rpm.
Dreams - Cranberries

Seated and Standing Hills - Intensity: 70-80%, Cadence: 60-80 rpm.
O.M.G. (remix) - Usher

Seated and Standing Climb - Intensity: 80-85%, Cadence: 60-70 rpm.
Nothin' On You - Bruno Mars

Seated and Standing Climb - Intensity: 80-85%, Cadence: 60-70 rpm.
Bittersweet Symphony - The Verve

Running Flats - Intensity: 80-85%, Cadence: 80-110 rpm.
Flaunt It - Djfancofabi (this is my best buddies favorite spin song!!)

Running Hills - Intensity: 80-85%, Cadence: 80-110 rpm.  This is heavy and fast.  Keep a consistent pace regardless of body position and resistance increase.
Eminence Front - The Who

Running Hills - Intensity: 85-92%, Cadence: 80-110 rpm.  This is intense.  Heart rates come up a little higher than in a traditional "endurance" ride, but its worth it!
More Human than Human - Rob Zombie

Flats, Hills, Climb - Intensity: 80-85%, Cadence: 70-110 rpm.  All three positions on the bike, alternating resistance from flats to mountains.
Message in a Bottle - Matisyahu

Jumps on a Hill - Intensity: 75-80%, Cadence: 60-80 rpm.  Big hill under the wheel with steady, controlled jumps from 1 to 2, 2 to 3.
Kick in the Teeth - Papa Roach

Sprints - Intensity: 85-92%, Cadence: 80-110 rpm.  Super heavy resistance when you break through the gear at 3.
Invincible - Adelitas Way

Recovery, Hills - Intensity: 70-80%, Cadence: 60-80 rpm.  Let the heart rates come back to the aerobic zone.
Shut Up and Let Me Go - DJ Lobsterdust Remix

Climb - Intensity: 80-85%, Cadence: 60-80 rpm.  Max out the resistance and use the entire leg for this short song.
L.O.V.E. - Ashlee Simpson

Is your "saddle" sore?

The number one biggest beginner complaint I get from new participants is that their "saddle area" is sore.  This is perfectly normal, believe it or not!  Your body takes time to adjust to the seat and the action in the class.  You will have more strength in some of those muscles and almost build up what I like to call a "tolerance" of the seat after a few classes.  Personally, it took me about 4 or so classes over the course of 2-3 weeks.

Overcoming the saddle soreness is sometimes the hardest part of class, but here are some tips to help the process along.  Heck, no one would take class if the pain didn't subside, right?

1) do not invest in a gel seat.  These are the flimsy things you can buy at any Walmart that slide over the bikes seat.  They slide all over the place actually, making it difficult for the rider to get good form while seated.  Waste of money and somewhat dangerous in my opinion.  Plus, you are not allowing your body to adjust to the actual seat. 

2) you may want to invest in some padded bike shorts if you buns just won't stop hurting.  I have been spinning for years and have even participated in a 3 hour long class without the need for these shorts, but if you have to do something, I guess these are you best options. Spinning.com and other online stores carry them.

3) concentrate on proper form.  Bouncing in the saddle is usually an indicator of a few things like, improper bike set-up, not enough resistance and/or pedaling too fast.  Sliding back and forth on the seat could also be in indicator of bad bike set-up or poor form.

4) psss- this is my favorite trick of all!!  Undies matter!  If you must wear them while working out, try to choose cotton and no thongs!  You can imagine the pain you could experience if you do not choose the right undergarments.  Most of my workout bottoms have built in protection, so no underwear is needed.  Lululemon has a great line of capri's and shorts for spinning.

Here are some links with more information from spinning.com.

http://www.spinning.com/images/Keep_it_Safe.pdf

http://www.spinning.com/spinning-shop/default.asp

Pay it Forward Friday!

I think this will be the theme of my Friday posts from now on!  As some of you know, I despise running with every fiber of my being.  Maybe its because I get bored easily, maybe its because I don't like the idea of being hit by a car, maybe its because I discovered spinning.  In any case, I avoid running unless I am being chased ; ), but I do run once a year. 

The Turkey Trot 5k in town is the one time that I run because its for a great cause and its become a tradition with me and my friends.  In preparation, I run at the gym once a week for about 4 weeks prior.  I hate every second of it, but I do it. My only goal year after year is that I run without walking and finish within 30 minutes.

Do you participate in any fundraising/charity type races or activities?  Do you have any traditions that revolve around fitness?

Ugh...whole grains!

I went to a registered dietitian back in August because I had about ten pounds lingering that I could not drop, no matter how much I worked out or ate clean/healthy.  She put together a great plan for me, which basically took the items I was already eating and just put them in different portions and in different meals.  I also was instructed to consume about 200-300 more calories a day (I now eat about 1800-2000 cals/day). 

For example, my old lunch would typically be a big veggie salad with either tuna or chicken on top and some oil and vinegar. 

My new lunch is typically a side salad (about 1c or more of veggies), a sandwich (whole grain sandwich thin, 3oz protein, maybe an 1/8 avocado) and 1/2c of low fat cottage cheese. 

Thanks to this new plan of eating less protein and more grains, I was able to go from 134.9 pounds to 126.8 and I have kept it all off!

The only issue I face day to day is getting in those portions of grains.  Mentally, I always thought that carbs were the devil, but that is not the case, you need them for energy!  I try to eat whole grain cereal like Kashi Go Lean Crunch for breakfast, a whole grain sandwich thin for lunch and either whole wheat pasta, brown rice or quinoa.

This way of eating is not appropriate for everyone, but I do suggest seeing a R.D. if you are struggling with weight loss.

What is your favorite way to get whole grains into your diet? 

Let's talk about Heart Rate Monitors

As some of you know,  I started teaching at a great new place a few weeks ago and most folks that take my class do not wear heart rate monitors.  At my old place, I was able to educate the members about HRM's and eventually, about 90% of my class had them.  I am going to start talking to my new people weekly about how great they are and how they can really maximize their workouts.  I thought I would also share it with all of you!

I got this great information from Spinning.com and my Spinning manual.

http://www.spinning.com/images/Heart_Rate_Monitor.pdf

http://www.spinning.com/images/Target_Heart.pdf

From an instructor's point of view, HRM's really outline exactly where each individual rider needs to be in terms of resistance, cadence, work effort, etc.  It kind of takes some of the guess work out of where every individual needs to be to reach their goals - which can be different for every rider.  I will shout out things like, "if you are wearing a HRM, you should be around 80-85% of your maximum HR".   That way, if they see their rates are too high or too low, they can adjust to maximize their workouts.

I usually wear my Polar F6 (can be found on spinning.com) with the chest strap.  Without the chest strap, its hard to get an accurate HR.

I hope this helped to clear up any confusion!  Happy Pedaling!

Core Revolution 11-1-10

Another great class last night!  I find it so flattering that so many folks drive all the way to my new place to spin with me.  My cousin drives about 30 miles and a few folks drive about a half an hour to spend some time sweating with me.  We had a great workout and here is what it looked like:

Interval profile, about 50 minutes from warm up to cool down.

Warm Up - Intensity: 50-65% mhr, Cadence: 60-80 rpm.
Teenage Dream - Katy Perry

Hills - Intensity: 70-85% mhr, Cadence: 60-80 rpm.  Seated, 2 and 3, increasing resistance gradually.
Like a G6 - Far East Movement

Running Flats-  Intensity:  80-85%, Cadence: 80-110 rpm.  Seated and 2.  Be sure to put a tiny hill under the wheel before going up to 2.
Machines Can do the Work - Fatboy Slim

Jumps - Intensity: 75-80% mhr, Cadence: 60-75 rpm.  Moderate hill, four count, from 1 to 2.  3 sets.
Living in a Dream - Finger Eleven

Sprints - Intensity: 85-92% mhr, Cadence: 80-110 rpm.  Super heavy resistance.  Explode out of the saddle to 3, then down in the saddle for 15 seconds of hard work.  3 sets.
Let's Go Crazy - Prince

Recovery - Intensity: 70-80% mhr, Cadence: 80-110rpm.  Heart rates come back to the aerobic zone. 
Hawaii - Blackbird Blackbird

Climb - Intensity: 80-85% mhr, Cadence: 60-70 rpm.  Seated and at 3.  Load it up gradually until you reach the maximum resistance.  Slow and heavy going up a steep mountain.
A Little Bit More - Jamie Lidell

Running Flats - Intensity: 80-85%, Cadence: 80-110 rpm.  Seated and standing.  Keep resistance under the wheel at all times.  Fast, coming down the other side of the mountain.
Dancing with Myself - The Donnas

Running Hills - Intensity: 80-90% mhr, Cadence: 80-110 rpm.  We start with a moderate hill seated, then add it on and bring it up to 2.  We then add a little more on and bring it out to 3.
Check it Out - will.i.am & Nicki Minaj

Seated and Standing Climb - Intensity: 80 - 85% mhr, Cadence: 70-80 rpm.  Start in the saddle, gradually add on resistance, bring it out to 3 for some surges of power.
Baby Got Back - DJ Lobsterdust

Climb - Intensity: 80-85% mhr, Cadence: 60-70 rpm.  As heavy as you can handle.  In the saddle and out to 3
Stop for a Minute - Keane

Running Heavy Hills - Intensity: 85-92% mhr, Cadence: 80-110 rpm.  Keep it heavy, keep it fast! Alternating 1 and 3.
Sound of Madness - Shinedown

Seated Flats, Standing Flats, Standing Climb - Intensity: 80-85% mhr, Cadence: 80-110 rpm.  Add on the resistance when you take it up.  Very intense!
Welcome to the Jungle  - Guns n' Roses

Cool Down - Intensity: 50-65% mhr, Cadence: 60-80 rpm.  Stretch, bring the heart rates down gradually.
Just a Ride - Jem

It's Sunday Funday!

Between August and February, I give myself a "pass" to drink high calorie, delicious, dark beer, eat chicken wings and the occassional pizza on Sunday's.  Hey, if I have to watch the Buffalo Bills lose, I might as well do it in style! 

Here are a few tricks (he,he, it's Halloween, get it?) to keeping your treats a little more healthy this football season.  I have become and expert on shaving off a few calories here and there to my favorite recipes.

Instead of going to a sports bar and ordering your favorite deep fried wings covered in buttery, spicy sauce and accompanied by creamy blue cheese dressing, why not try to make them at home?  My fabulous husband makes our wings on our grill outside.  Simply season them with pepper and some garlic powder, throw them on the grill over medium heat, turn a few times and in about 20 minutes they should be done.  Toss them in your favorite sauce (we have been in love with Brooks BBQ's medium wing sauce http://www.brooksbbq.com/product_p/4050.htm ) and make your own blue cheese dip using lowfat plain yogurt, some blue cheese crumbles and some black pepper.  Serve them up with lots of celery and carrot sticks for dipping.

Sports Bar Wings - could be well over 1200 calories for 6 wings.
My Wings - around 600 calories for 6 wings. 

Make your own nachos using whole grain tortilla chips, turkey chili (I use the very lean ground turkey), lowfat cheddar and tons of veggies on top (I like lettuce, tomato, olives, onions and red pepper). 

Nachos from Applebee's - if you shared with 3 friends - 500 calories!!!
My nachos - about 200 calories per portion. 

I don't really have any way that you can save calories on beer except if you decide to switch to one of the "ultra" light brands.  Michelob Ultra makes an Amber beer that is pretty tasty and only 90 or so calories.  I have been drinking Samuel Adams Oktoberfest, about 165 calories.  I try to have one glass of water with every beer, that way I don't drink as many and I stay hydrated.

You can still eat your favorite things and with just a few adjustments, you can save yourself from the Sunday Funday guilt!

Cheers!

My class got an honorable mention!!

The studio where I teach was in a local publication!!  I teach "Core Revolution" and as you can see, it made the cut!!

Enjoy!

http://www.cnweekly.com/articles/2010/10/29/news/doc4cc9cf89f0567367295909.txt

TGIF! I say that today is "pay it forward Friday"!

My friend Allison is going to be riding in a charity event in NYC called, Cycle for Survival.  This event raises money for research at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.  Please click on the following link to read about a little girl named Princess Warrior Stefani that is close to Allison's heart who has been diagnosed with brain cancer.

Any donations would be greatly appreciated!!

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmskcc.convio.net%2Fsite%2FTR%3Fpg%3Dpersonal%26fr_id%3D1423%26px%3D1793551&h=2f28cJbaL3S7z_VPSkqj5XCjhEg

I entered a contest yesterday!

I have a "spin membership" and I frequently get emails about new profiles, song ideas, etc. and this month they were featuring a contest.  I entered one last year and won, so I gave it another shot this year.  You basically have to submit a kick ass profile for them to feature in their "spinning newsletter".

Here is the link if you are an instructor and want to give it a try:


http://www.spinning.com/spinning-instructors/profile-builder.asp

Wish me luck!

Core Revolution Ride, 10-25-10

I thought I would start posting my profiles along with the songs and artists.  I get a lot of comments like, "I love that song!  Who was that?!", so here you go!  I will update this after each class I teach.  I don't use the fancy spinning symbols, but I do use some of the terminology.

Enjoy!

This is an interval ride, about 50 minutes from warm up to cool down.

Warm Up - Intensity: 50-65% mhr, Cadence: 60-80 rpm.
Dynamite - Taio Cruz

Hills - Intensity: 75-80% mhr, Cadence: 60-80 rpm, seated, 2 and 3, gradually increasing resistance about every 30 seconds.
Don't Fear the Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult

Hills - Intensity: 75-80% mhr, Cadence: 80-90 rpm, seated, surges at 3 about every 40 seconds.
Memories - David Guetta (featuring Kid Cudi)

Jumps - Intensity: 75-80% mhr, Cadence: 60-75 rpm, slow and controlled, 4 count.
I can Transform You - Lil Wayne

Seated and Standing Climb - Intensity: 80-85% mhr, Cadence: 60-80 rpm.
Hot Tottie - Usher (featuring Jay-Z) - This song was so great!!!!

Seated and Standing Climb - Intensity: 80-85% mhr, Cadence: 70-85 rpm, gradually increase the resistance to the maximum, then sit and push.
Rhinestone Eyes - Gorillaz

Seated Hills, Standing Run, Standing (out to 3) run, Seated Run, Seated Hills - Intensity: 80-90% mhr, Cadence: 80-100 rpm.
Not sure of the exact name, but its a DJ Lobsterdust mix with Smashing Pumpkins and Chemical Brothers.

Seated and Standing Run (out to 2)- Intensity: 85-90% mhr, Cadence: 80-100 rpm.  Gradually increase the resistance every 30 seconds while maintaining the same pace.
Move for Me - Kaskade & Deadmau 5

Sprints - Intensity: 85-92% mhr, Cadence: 80-110 rpm.  The key is to load on the resistance super heavy while pushing in the saddle.  We did 3 sets of 15 seconds each.  Last 2 minutes of the song was for recovery.
Propane Nightmares - Pendulum.

Running Hills - Intensity: 80-85% mhr, Cadence: 80-100 rpm.  Keep a fast pace while creating a big hill under your wheel.  Push and pull using the entire leg.  Should leave you breathless.
Indestructible - Disturbed

Seated and Standing Climb (out to 3). Intensity: 80-85% mhr, Cadence: 60-80 rpm.  Heaviest gear throughout the whole song.
Hello Good Morning - Diddy

Cool Down - Intensity: 50-65% mhr, Cadence: 60-80 rpm.  Stretch, breathe, slow down the heart rate gradually.
Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears

Its time for my first entry!

I have been thinking about starting this blog for about a year, so here we go!  I guess I will start off by telling you how I got started with spinning/indoor cycling. 

In late 2006, I had found myself about 25lbs overweight, single and ready to give my life a jump start.  I started working out at the little "gym" that we had in my apartment complex.  About 3 weeks later, I met my soon-to-be husband who was in great shape and loved working out.  Soon thereafter, I joined his gym and really started to get passionate about fitness. 

After about a month of listening to all the fun going on upstairs in the spinning room, I decided to sign up for my first class.  Tuesday came and went, I did not go to class because I was scared, itimidated and didn't think I was capable of "doing it".  Next Tuesday came around, I signed up and showed up this time!  The instructor was this little, perky, ripped woman who was more than happy to introduce herself, get me set up and kick my ass.  The room was very, very dark, the music was very, very loud (it was awesome!) and I was very, very sweaty.  I could barely keep up and I think I may have stayed seated for 99% of the class, as I was not strong enough to do anything else.

The next day, my "lady bits" and bum were so sore!!!  I thought that sitting on that hard seat was the worst part of class.  As I had been told, that pain does go away, so I went the following Tuesday and pretty much every Tuesday after that for about a year.  At one point, I was taking class four times a week and loving every sweaty minute of it!

That little, perky, ripped instructor and I had become friends after all of that time.  I had become a "regular" in her class and slowly made my way from the very back of the room to front and center!  I even got my fiance (we were engaged in March of 2007) to join me and converted him into a cycling psycho too!  Through cycling and cleaning up my nutition, I managed to lose about 25-30lbs.

The next thing I know, that little, perky, ripped instructor had been prompting me to think about getting certified to teach a spin class.  My first thoughts were; "oh my gosh! No one is going to want to watch my chubby ass pedal for an hour!",  "I haven't taught anything in my life!", "How the heck would I talk and spin at the same time??". 

A few months had gone by and that darn instructor brought it up again, so I started to do some research on how to get certified.  Although I already had a full time office job, I thought it would be nice to have some extra "fun" money and also to get to do something that I absolutely love. 

That instructor ended up putting in her notice and leaving us for another gym.  This is what pushed me to my spinning orientation to get certified to teach.  We were without an instructor and I knew that I could do it.  I was taught by the best and I knew with some practice, I could do it! 

Less than two weeks after my certification, I was teaching my first class.  It was June of 2009 by this time and my husband (we were married September 6, 2008) was my best cheerleader.  He would be my guinea pig, give me feedback, help me find great music and generally just encouraged me along the way.

That pretty much sums up how I got here today!  I got a fantastic opportunity to teach at a very elite spin/indoor cycling facility one day a week, so I had put in my notice at the original gym.  Most of my "regulars" have found me and followed me to the new place.  Its been so great to meet new people and also to see familiar faces in the crowd.

I am so lucky to have such a great job with such professional, wonderful people around me.

I still work my full time job, but I am truly a cycle psycho underneath it all!