The following are different events that LWP has or will be participating in throughout the Oakville and Halton Region.
Pilates for Canada Day Wellness Fair
Saturday, June 28, 2008.
Organized by the Kerr Street BIA (Business and Industry Association) at Kerr Street Heritage Village. Hopefully we will see you at this event!
Pilates for Kids
On Friday, May 23, 2008 LWP hosted a Pilates session for a group of 5 year olds from Forest Grove School. The children were studying the human body. Mary gave a short introduction and had the kids try out different Pilates exercises such as Roll Up / Roll Down, Rolling Like A Ball, but the "Angry Cat" was the most popular.
School Certificates
As a gesture to reach out to our community, LWP is generously donating Certificates for free Pilates sessions to students in grades 7-12.
These certificates will be given out by the various schools as awards for different achievements.
Agnes Stassen is organizing a golf tournament as a fundraiser for Kerr Street Ministries at the Glen Abbey Golf Course, Thursday, June 26th. Here is an opportunity to enjoy a great game of golf at a world renowned golf course and at the same time help send underprivileged children in the Kerr Street area to day camp for eight weeks at no cost to the parents. Contact agness@kerrstreet.com for more information.
Jennifer Peterson is currently participating in her first Pilates session at Living Well Pilates. In addition to Pilates, she is also participating in yoga, boxing, resistance training and dragon boating.
The beginner dragon boating program is an introductory class for people who have never participated in this kind of paddling before. The eight week spring session is offered through the Burloak Canoe Club and introduces the basics of paddling in a large boat with up to 18 people seated side by side. There is the option of signing up for a festival event at the end of the spring session.
She is enjoying the challenge of learning a new skill that incorporates a team dynamic and training my body in a new way. The paddling technique requires more than just using your arms to paddle. The entire upper body and core are used to maximize the power of each stroke.
Jennifer a true believer in trying new and different activities in order to stay motivated and have fun! In addition, imposing new physical challenges will help to continuously improve her level of fitness.
For more information visit
http://www.burloakcanoe.com/
dragonboat.htm
Jenny Zych is also actively participating in dragon boating. This is a High-Intensity-Interval-Training (HIIT) where participants paddle really fast to cover a distance of 250-500 metres within a short span of 2-4 minutes at the most.
Rina Imbrogno plays soccer and is on a team called the “Dixie Troias”. They play weekly on Monday nights in a recreational league. Playing on a team is all about playing together and knowing what the team mates are going to do next. They have to learn to anticipate what and where they will be. Sometimes it’s difficult because it’s hard to know what the other people are thinking but when they make a play that is right out of the handbook they feel so good especially if they score knowing that the goal was a group effort with everyone playing together.
She plays for exercise and loves the game. It’s much easier to exercise doing something that you enjoy. She looks forward to her weekly games because she knows she’ll be getting a great workout and that she’s having fun doing it.
Stan Einarson, who was sponsored by Living Well Pilates played a wonderful game of golf at the Oakville Chamber Of Commerce 54th Annual Golf Tournament. This event took place on Thursday, May 29th, 2008 at Carlisle Golf & Country Club, 523 Carlisle Road, Carlisle.
I have been practicing Pilates for a total of 6 years now, but switched to Living Well Pilates 3 years ago for more one-on-one attention. Every week, I participate in two group classes, and twice per season I have two private sessions with Mary German. With four kids at home, I find Pilates is a much needed break from the day.
I can feel and see the difference that Pilates has made for me by the increase in my overall strength, and the relief from my migraines and from shoulder pain. Living Well Pilates has a very personal touch with knowledgeable instructors who provide focused attention on their clients needs. The studio is very well run, and the classes are designed for people with all levels of experience. Living Well Pilates wants what is best for you.
D.B.
Prior to starting my Pilates practice, I was active in a circuit training program, golf and cycling. I began taking Pilates classes at a gym but switched to Living Well Pilates when the studio opened. Each week, I work with Mary German in two private sessions to help a recurring back problem. As a result of Pilates, I have learned awareness of the movements that aggravate my back pain, and can now avoid flare ups. I am in less pain, and feel better and leaner overall. In addition, Pilates has helped me return to golf, which previously increased my back pain.
Mary German has incredible skill in pinpointing problem areas in each client, and will provide feedback to correct those issues during movement. The group classes always include a variety of movements, rather than the same choreography you would get from classes offered at the gym. Living Well Pilates is great and offers a friendly environment for all who attend.
L.H.
In mid May on a Friday morning, ten five-year olds from neighboring Forest Grove School came to the studio with Miss Melody. They had spent the week studying the human body. As we sat in a circle with Bob Bones, the skeleton, we exchanged introductions and their favorite learning of the week such as spine, ribs, gluteus maximus, tailbone, shoulder blades.
As the children started exercising on the Pilates mats, we linked their weeks’ discoveries with the movements. They took turns demonstrating the exercise for the others and trying each exercise themselves. Flexing, rotating, laterally bending, extending, moving shoulder blades, the children listened to their bodies—muscles pulling bones. I was very impressed with these five-year olds, because of their concentration on the movements.
During the week, we have the juniors’ attending class and loving it--getting stronger through Pilates. We are also working with young athletes using Pilates in preparation for their sport.
Over this same week, we have worked with adults, male and female, of all ages who are at the studio for their own goals—general fitness for everyday, relief from aches/pains, preparing for athletic training/balancing from overuse issues, post rehabilitation, chronic issues, etc.
It is very exciting to watch as the LWP studio reaches its goal as a learning center of “Pilates for all bodies.”
Blessings, mg
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Lie on right side in neutral position. Eyes looking forward. Reach both legs long and parallel to edge of mat. Stack hips on top of each other and stabilize during the entire exercise. Lift the bottom oblique. Rest left arm at side of body. |
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Point the top foot and hover the leg a few inches above the bottom leg. |
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Inhale (rib cage expands, spine lengthens), glide the leg up to ceiling with control from outside of hip. |
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Exhale (rib cage deflates, abdominals draw in and up), flex the foot and glide leg down to floor with control from inner thigh.
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Inhale (rib cage expands, spine lengthens) and start again.
Repeat on the other side. |
Expand Your Horizons, become a certified Pilates Instructor. For professional or personal use, Body Harmonics offers a variety of internationally recognized Pilates certification programs available now at Living Well Pilates.
Classes offered are:
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Mat Work Foundations |
May 30 - June 1 |
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Mat Work Classic & Innovations |
June 20 - 22 |
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Core Integrity (CEC 7) |
July 11 - 12 |
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Vertical Intensive (CEC 15) |
July 25 - 26 |
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Pilates for Pregnancy (CEC 7) |
August 9 |
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Magic Circle TM & Swivel Discs |
October 25 |
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Stability Balls & Foam Rollers |
November 8 |
Detailed course descriptions are available at www.livingwellpilates.com or www.bodyharmonics.com
Summer Special Offer for Full Time Students
Full-time students can now enjoy 50% OFF all group classes from June 1 - August 31, in addition to a FREE introductory assessment with Mary German. This offer is for secondary and post-secondary students with valid 2007-2008 student ID. Call us today to register, classes are filling up quickly!
Registration is now open for the summer session. Visit our website or call the studio for more info. This session is 8 weeks and runs from July 7 - August 30.
Jenny received a fleecy jacket for referring Lisa Thompson & Kim Hutter. She also received a tote bag for referring Jennifer Peterson.
Susan received a tote bag for referring Annette Gower.
Deb received a t-shirt for referring Nick Passey.
Thank you for your referrals and your continued support. Lots of prizes await you when you refer someone to LWP.
LWP walks are still taking place as scheduled on Mondays at 11:00 am and Wednesdays at 8:30 am. Our Hiking trips are getting more popular with additional people joining every month. There were 11 participants on May 20th for the Royal Botanical Gardens Lilac Blossoming Hike. We had a wonderful picnic afterwards and we are sharing some of the recipes with you in this newsletter's menu.
The next hike will take place on June 19th at Dundas Park and on July 22nd we will be canoeing the Grand River.
For more info check our website or contact Jackie at the front desk.
The Footsteps for Trees program at LWP has been really successful with approximately 2,354,000 steps logged in so far. This amounts to about 235 trees planted up till now. It's like we have our own little forest!
Anyone is welcome to join in the Footsteps for Trees program at their own convenience. With each hike you take, you log your steps on the Halton Hikes website. For every 10,000 footsteps a tree will be planted. Visit www.haltonhikes.ca for more information.
We have had 2 successful Pilates parties so far that were hosted by Sue and Julie. LWP presented both with fleece jackets as a thank you for hosting these parties. In addition, they received LWP money vouchers and several Pilates equipment tools when their guests signed up for classes/privates. More information on hosting your next Pilates party is now posted at the studio.
With the beautiful weather finally upon us, these parties can now be held in the outdoors during day time. If you are interested in hosting a party contact the studio.
Lebanese Mjadra (lentils with rice)
Yogurt with garlic, mint and cucumber
Power Balls (a.k.a.Chocolate Satellites)
Enjoy and keep healthy!
What you need
1 cup brown lentils washed
1 cup rice
1 cup of crispy fried onions (see below)
1 tsp salt or to taste
Add lentils to a pot and cover with water (3 1/2 - 4 cups). Bring to a boil and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Add rice, salt, reserved oil from frying the onions, adjust seasoning if needed. Simmer on low heat until cooked through all liquid is absorbed.
Put in a serving plate, garnish with crispy fried onions and serve with yogurt and cucumber salad.
crispy fried onions
1 large or 2 medium onions thinly sliced
3-4 tbsp olive oil
Heat oil in a skillet, add onions and fry until golden brown and crispy, stirring frequently. Remove onions from skillet and reserve oil.
Yogurt and cucumber salad (dip)
What you need
750 ml plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 tbsp dried mint
1 cup of diced cucumbers
salt (to taste)
What you do
In a bowl, mix the yogurt with the crushed garlic and dried mint until smooth. Add the cucumbers and salt. Mix well and garnish with more dried mint then serve with the Lebanese Mjadra.
This recipe can also be enjoyed as a dip.
What you need
1 cup oats
5 brown rice cakes, crumbled
1 cup chopped dried fruit (such as apricots, cranberries, raisins, figs, blueberries)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, chopped or pulsed in the food processor
1/4 cup ground flaxseed and/or sunflower seeds
pinch salt
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup light or all-natural peanut butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup soy milk or regular milk
What you do
In a large bowl, toss together the oats, rice cakes, dried fruit, coconut, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed and salt. In a small saucepan, combine the cocoa, peanut butter and maple syrup and set over medium heat. Cook until melted and smooth, stirring often. Remove from the heat and stir in the soy milk until well blended and smooth.
Pour the chocolate mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Put the bowl in the fridge until the mixture is cool. Shape into balls the size of those large bouncy balls - bigger than a golf ball, smaller than a baseball. Store them covered, in the fridge.
Makes 1 dozen balls.
We would like to thank Donna for recommending this recipe and letting us borrow her book "One Smart Cookie". The book is full of healthy and nutritious options.
