Snow Days…To Cancel or Not Cancel? That is the question.

Today is yet another “Snow Day” here in Harrisburg. Or at least I think it is. And I have canceled Mandy’s Boot Camp for the 3rd or 4th time this winter. 😦

“They” have been calling for a nasty winter storm involving snow and ice for a few days. We have been upgraded from official National Weather Service storm “watch” to “warning” starting at 1 am Tuesday; which was a little over 4 hours ago. I have been awake since about 2:30 trying to figure out if I should hold my 5:30 am boot camp or cancel it.

The one thing I have found is that there isn’t a lot of up-to-date travel information available at 3 am. Or even at 4 am. Most schools have not yet started calling in their delays and cancelations unless they did it the night before. So, I find that I am left to make the decision myself based on the current conditions outside my door and online, the forecast and any delays/cancelations already out there. This shouldn’t be that big of a deal, but in reality, it isn’t the easiest decision for me to make.

We’re a boot camp. We’re supposed to be hard core. I make people exercise outdoors in the rain in the summer and on chilly days. But, at the same time, there is a line to be drawn. Last year we would usually hold boot camp, but this year I have changed my tune a bit and have been erring on the side of caution. During one of our first storms this winter, a number of students that attend Widener with me had difficulty making it home. A lot of students were upset by Widener’s failure to cancel classes that evening. This made an impression on me because I thought about how in the grand scheme of things rescheduling a few hours of classes is much better alternative to holding class and having someone get hurt. I then decided that I wouldn’t hold my boot camp if the weather was iffy.

At this point we have 17 people traveling to boot camp early in the morning. Because we are some of the first people on the road, I don’t want us to be the “driving guinea pigs” for the day.

Even though I think it is the safe thing to do, I still worry that my campers will be upset because I canceled. That they will think I’m a wuss. That they will become unmotivated. That they won’t get to exercise that day. And the list of worries goes on and on.

I try to post an at-home workout that requires basic equipment they already own and can be done in a small amount of space. I hope they consider this an acceptable alternative to driving in iffy weather.

But, I really don’t know. Am I killing my boot camp by canceling? Should I just hold it and hope for the best? There are no easy answers…

I just hope everyone understands!

More Info On Body Transformation Contest

I apologize!

I am so excited for this body transformation contest but based on the number of and type of questions I have received, I realized that I haven’t given you enough information to really understand how it works. I’m going to try to clear some of it up now.

The “New Year To A New You” Body Transformation Contest is a contest for my clients. It is an internal contest, so you must be either a member of the boot camp or a personal training client to enter. I’m keeping it internal because it’s my first one and I want to keep it manageable. In the future, I will probably do more contests that will be open to the general public, but for now, we’re keeping it simple.

Body transformation contests are HUGE because they are a fantastic way to motivate people to reach their goals. Those of you who work with me know that I am always looking for ways to keep my clients motivated. A body transformation contest seems like the perfect fit.

Here’s how it will work:

If you are a client (in the boot camp or a personal training client), you are eligible to enter. The cost of the contest is a total of $60. A $10 registration fee and $50 to go into the “pot”. The all around champion (the person with the best outer and inner transformation) wins the pot. The amount will be determined by the number of people who ultmately enter. If 2 people enter, the pot will be $100. If 10 people enter, the pot will be $500.

This Does Not Replace Boot Camp Or Personal Training

This $60 registration fee is in addition to what you pay for boot camp or personal training. The contest is completely optional, so if you are in the boot camp or are a personal training client, you do not have to participate. But, if this is something that interests you, I encourage you to enter.

This is not a separate class. Boot camp is still 3 days per week and personal training sessions are as scheduled. The only thing that is “separate” is that I am planning to offer some group meetings to check in and to teach you some things about exercise, nutrition, etc. These group meetings will be held at a time that is convenient to the majority of the participants and will be quick meetings lasting from 30 – 45 minutes. They are not exercise sessions, but rather are informational in nature.

JUDGING

The contest will last for 8 weeks. At the end of 8 weeks, a panel of three judges (I am one of them) will choose the winners. There will be one individual winner and one winning team. Each person will be entered as an individual, but the team category is available to anyone who would like to partner up with someone for accountability and motivational purposes. I strongly encourage this. If you have a friend, spouse or co-worker who wants to get in shape, this is a great opportunity for you both. If you don’t have a partner and would like one, we will do our best to match you up with someone. Again, every person will be entered as an individual, but those who are part of a team will be entered as both individuals and as teammates. It is possible that one member of the winning team could be our individual champion, but the prizes won’t double (sorry!)

PRIZES

The Top Individual Overall Transformation Champion wins the $$$$. All of it. In addition to the money, the champion will receive a free summer session of my boot camp (a $375 value) and a professional photo shoot (a $100 value).

Each member of the Top Team will receive a free summer session of my boot camp (a $375 value) and a professional photo shoot (a $100 value).

There may be some other categories and prizes added. We’ll see.

JUDGING CRITERIA

Participants will be judged on their outer and inner transformation. So, just looking the best doesn’t necessarily mean you will win the contest. Each person will be judged on his or her own transformation. You will not earn more points because you lost more weight than someone else. We will basically look at your before pictures, your before essay (if you write one), your after pictures and your after essay (required). You may want to include your numbers (pounds lost, inches lost, muscle gained, etc.) in your essay to show us how you have transformed, but you will not earn or lose points because you lost more or less than someone else. It is for this reason that EVERYONE can participate regardless of where you are starting.

Remember, we are looking at YOU as individual. We are looking at where YOU started and how YOU transformed. You are not being judged against anyone else. And remember, that we are looking for a transformation of both the outer and inner you.

ESSAYS

I know you probably cringed when you read that you have to write an “after” essay, but it’s not that big of a deal. Just a few paragraphs telling us things like: how this changed your life, your results, any struggles you had, how you overcame your struggles, what you learned from the experience, any tips you have for future participants, etc. It doesn’t have to be all that long or perfect in any way. We won’t be judging your writing ability. Just write from the heart and you’ll be fine.

There is also an optional “before” essay. I STRONGLY encourage you to do this. Not so much for us, but for you. You need to understand why you are doing this. You may have some idea, but putting it in writing solidifies it. By giving it to us with your registration information, it gives us ideas on how to help you and it is a way to commit yourself to the contest. When you hand us the essay, you have now told someone else that you are ready to change. This can be very motivational.

I hope I have answered some of your questions! Again, I apologize for not being more clear. Please keep the questions coming and I will continue answering them.

P.S. Both men and women are encouraged to participate. There will probably be more women simply because I have more female clients right now, but men are just as welcome as women!

P.S.S. I will recommend some meal plans, but ultimately you are free to use any meal plan you choose. Again, I will recommend those that I think are the best, but it’s your choice.

New Year To A New You Body Transformation Contest

If you’re serious about reaching your fitness goals this year, you should continue reading! Oh, and you can win some serious $$$$!

I’m happy to announce the 1st ever “Mandy’s Boot Camp” Body Transformation Contest. There are no tricks and no gimmicks. This is a 10 week transformation contest where the winner not only transforms his/her body, but will walk away with some awesome prizes.

I’m still working on some of the details, but the basic details are as follows:

Go to MandyKutish.com to message me for more info and for a partcipant packet!

At Home Workout

The “Mandy Is Sick and Boot Camp Was Cancelled But I’m Too Hot To Miss My Workout” At-Home Cardio Blast. Put on some Music and grab your watch or a clock.

Warm up for 5 mins by walking around, going up and down stairs and putting things away (bonus!)

Do each exercise for 1 minute. Take a 2 minute break and repeat twice.

1. Jumping Jacks (can bling it out by doing cross jacks or scissor jacks on rounds 2 and 3)
2. Dumbbell Thrusters (squat and shoulder press combo) Grab your dumbbells or two cans of soup! For squat portion make sure your booty is back, push through heels and look up. Let your squat power your shoulder press! For shoulder start with wrists above your elbows and bring dumbbells (or cans!) together at top making a triangle.
3. Push-ups – on toes, knees or against the wall depending on your level (bling it out by doing 3-2-1 push-ups or walking push-ups)
4. Criss Cross – aka bicycle – remember to keep elbows wide so you can barely see them to get a great twist in your upper body and reach as far away as you can with your legs. Do not let legs drop below hip height and if you have a lower back problem or pain, modify by keeping legs extended higher in the air and reaching.
5. Lateral Jumps – Stand on one foot and jump as far as you can in the opposite direction landing on the other.
6. Swing Lunge – step back into a reverse lunge and then bring leg through into a front lunge…alternate sides)
7. Triceps Dips on a chair or the floor. Find something sturdy (or the floor). Remember to look up.
8. Mountain Climbers (to impress the family!)

Great Gifts For the Fitness Enthusiast On Your List

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Today’s blog is in honor of “Black Friday” and the next few weeks of shopping that most of us have to endure. I hope this helps!

 If you have a fitness enthusiast on your list (or you are one!), you definitely want to keep reading. This is a list of products I really like. I know there are tons out there, but these are some of my personal favorites…

Great Gifts For the Fitness Enthusiast On Your List (in no particular order)

1. An iTunes gift card: These can be used to purchase new music and fitness apps. Almost every exerciser I know listens to music while working out. Even your favorite songs lose their luster after listening to them for the 200th time. Imagine trying to get “pumped up” and motivated by the same old boring music. It’s tough. Your exerciser will love adding new music to his/her library. There are also tons of great fitness apps for iPhone that the person on your list will love using. You can’t lose with this gift if you have an Apple user on your list. Important: Make sure the person actually uses an iPod or iPhone.

2. Innovative At Home/Outdoors Exercise Equipment:  I’m not talking about a new treadmill, stationary bike or a home gym here. I’m talking about neat pieces of equipment that are less expensive, more portable and take up less room. My two favorites are the Lebert Equalizer and a suspension trainer (there are several brands…keep reading).                                   

The Lebert Equalizer: Great piece of equipment for doing a variety of strength training and cardio exercises. It looks almost like a much smaller version of the men’s parallel bars in gymnastics. I love the Lebert Equalizer because there is so much that can be done with it, all while being extremely light weight, portable and sturdy. I use this with personal training clients and in Mandy’s Boot Camp. I never worry about injury with it. I suggest this for someone who does strength training and is into bodyweight exercises and functional training. It’s great for at home exercisers who find it challenging to work their back. I wouldn’t recommend it for someone who is very new to exericse and uses mostly the machines at the gym. I think those people would have difficulty figuring out what to do with it although it does come with a chart with some basic exercises to get started. Also, there are TONS of Youtube videos where people demonstrate Lebert Equalizer exercises. Price: Around $100    Important Note: The standard color is yellow, but it now comes in Pink!

A suspension trainer: There are several of these out there but the two most popular are the TRX and the Jungle Gym. A suspension trainer would appeal to the same level of exerciser as the Lebert Equalizer although a suspension trainer is NOT the same thing as an Equalizer. But, like the Equalizer, they are great for bodyweight exercises, particularly the back. 

I purchased the Jungle Gym 2 for my own use and to use with my clients. After much comparison and research, I went with the Jungle Gym 2 over the TRX mostly because the Jungle Gym 2 was about half the price.  A suspension trainer is great for someone who likes to exercise outdoors. They can just loop it over a swingset or tree branch. It’s also great for someone who travels frequently because it’s easily transportable (fits in a very small bag) and can be secured in a door frame (in a hotel room). Price: $70 – $210 

 3. A Heart Rate monitor: Excellent gift for pretty much any level of exerciser! If the person on your list is losing weight, a Heart Rate monitor will help keep them in their target zone thus aiding in fat loss. If they have medical concerns and need to keep their heart rate below a certain level, this will keep them right within their range.

I’m somewhat partial to Polar brand heart rate monitors although there are a bunch of others out there. Also, be sure to get one with the strap that goes around the person’s ribcage. Some Heart Rate monitors advertise that they don’t have the strap, but I have always read that the monitors with the strap are more accurate. Price: $50 – $150 depending on how many bells and whistles you buy.

4. Gift Cards To Sporting Goods and Supplement Stores: A gift card to your local Dick’s or Sport’s Authority is always a winner. There will be something in that store that your person will want to buy from new exercise clothes, to lifting gloves, to a water bottle, sneakers, etc.

If your exerciser takes supplements, they will appreciate a gift card to whichever store they frequent such as GNC or Vitamin Shoppe (or an online store like bodybuilding.com). These supplements get expensive, so they will appreciate this gift. If you can do a little investigative work, figure out where they purchase their supplements and get the gift card there.

5. A Gift Certificate To Mandy Kutish Personal Fitness Training & Boot Camps: 🙂 We offer it all from Mandy’s Boot Camp, to yoga and toning classes, to one-on-one training, to online training.

Stocking Stuffers and Gifts under $20: Gift cards are always an option (but, you knew that!), but if you want a little something, I have a few ideas:

Water bottles are great. For the last two years everyone makes a statement with his/her water bottle. You can pick up BPA free water bottles in a variety of styles and designs almost anywhere. Target seems to have a ton of decorative water bottles if you’re looking for something with some bling.

Moisture Wicking Socks are awesome. If you have a person who runs or does a lot of cardio, get them a great pair (or two) of moisture wicking socks. Yes, these are more expensive than regular socks, but you will still spend less than $20. I like the “Bal Go” and “Injinji” brands I bought at The Inside Track (a local running store).

A protein shaker bottle. If your exerciser drinks protein shakes they can never have too many of these. Trust me. These shaker bottles have a way of disappearing or getting ruined on a regular basis.

Custom Work Out Wear: Want to give them something unique? Go to Customizedgirl.com (they have lots of guys stuff, too!!) and design a custom t-shirt, hat, pants, sweatshirt, etc. for your person to wear while exercising. If you have an idea, your person will appreciate the thought and who doesn’t like wearing something custom designed just for them?

There you have it. Mandy’s Great Gifts for the Fitness Enthusiast On Your List. Please add your gift ideas under comments!

Happy Black Friday!