Here are the details of the new programs many of you have been asking about:
Kettlebell Lifting (Levels 1 and 2): Start Date: Feb. 7th
Youth Camp (Teen Strength & Conditioning): Start Date: Feb 9th.
There are only a few spots left as of today.
“I quit smoking last March and wanted to see how much easier it would feel to work out as a non-smoker. I started in August weighing 147 and just over 26% body fat. Now it’s 22% and I weigh 135. This is the first time in my life that I exercise because it makes me feel good (as opposed to working out because I want to look better or because I know it’s good for me.). I love how strong I feel. I didn’t make huge conscious diet changes either, but getting regular exercise has brought more awareness to my diet. For the most part my strategy has been to eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m full.”
-Jenny
We decided to do an impromptu strength test this evening; sorta like a pop quiz. Here are some new PRs for the Jerk: Rylee (8kg), Freida (~12kg), Christy (16kg), Ezperanza (16kg), Yeimi (20kg), Julie B (20kg), Jen C (20kg), Brenda (24kg), Ross (32kg), Prateek (32kg), Nick (2 x 32kgs), Doug (2 x 32kgs). Congratulations!
“I share my meals with a cyclist. Five to six meals a day. Up to 6000 calories a day. Well, that’s for Neil. With many hours of cycling per week, this caloric intake is required to fuel his body. Even though I eat significantly smaller portions, this large intake of food across the table has certainly influenced my eating habits. In the four years since Neil began racing his bike, I gained an average of 10 pounds a year. More troublesome than the change in my appearance was my noticeable decrease in energy level. I just wasn’t feeling good.
We are both vegetarian and moved to the Bay Area with the aim of supporting California’s organic farms and enjoying the spoils at the many sustainably-minded restaurants. So, how did I gain weight on vegetables? Butter. Sugar. More sugar. Too many calories all around.
I am an emotional eater. I eat when I’m celebrating, stressed, or otherwise. With an increasingly stressful job, I found myself buying treats more regularly. These were not foodstuffs you would find in our home. I would eat four cupcakes in a sitting. I would buy chocolate cookies at the farmer’s market while stocking up on vegetables and fruits for the week. I would get a tartlette to go with the loaf of bread for dinner. I would take the daily dessert offering at lunch. I was stressed out and had been in a pattern of relieving that stress with sugar consumption. To add to this, I was further upset by the knowledge that my father and maternal grandfather had both been diagnosed with diabetes. With these eating habits and lack of activity, I was only putting myself more at risk.
When I started at the Ice Chamber this past May, I weighed in at 168 pounds with a body fat percentage of 29.5%. I had noticed the weight gain, but I had not committed to changing my routine. Biking to work and swimming once a week had not helped me shed pounds. With a torn meniscus in each knee, I did not see a way to exercise more without causing additional pain. I had been battling this knee injury while participating in running-intensive sports and lost. I had not found a suitable outlet to replace run or Ultimate.
Ann-Maree convinced me to join her for 7 am classes. I am not sure what prompted her to ask me, but I am so thankful that she got me there.
I wasn’t worried about getting my stats taken. I knew where I was at. My doctor and I had had the talk. For the first time in my life, I was officially overweight with a BMI of 25.8. That first week, none of this mattered because I was more concerned about being able to walk down the stairs or turn over in bed without using my arms. The squats and partner sit-ups had done me in. Jess and Steve had put me through the paces, and Ann-Maree had proven to be a faithful and inspiring partner, keeping me honest and advising me on weight selection and form.
After standing in line for stats a few weeks, I stopped checking in. The numbers were trending in the right direction. More importantly, I was getting stronger.
Now, when feeling ambitious, I look to Wendy and grab the 25-lb dumbbells. Ab exercises are more achievable, but words of encouragement from Tracy or Heather motivate me during extended plank holds since I can barely hit the 1-min mark. In core class, chats with Samine keep me running at a decent pace. Cheers from Nani are infectious. Commiserating with Gunther after class has validated my conviction that each class is still difficult. Much to my surprise, I have been able to laugh with Susan and Riley about carrying Doug three different ways down the mats. Things have certainly changed since last May.
Somewhere in the last few months, I have dropped fifteen pounds: 153 lbs with a body fat percentage of 23.1%. While I am happy with the weight loss, I am more enthusiastic about the other positive changes that have come from the IC. That’s likely why I switched my routine from three times a week to showing up at the gym 5-6 times each week.
My health is improving. Knee pain has been nearly eliminated with the strengthening of stabilizer muscles in my legs. My posture has improved with better core and back strength. My blood pressure has returned to pre-Bay Area levels. My blood sugar levels have stayed within the normal zone. I am working fewer hours, striking a better balance between work and home because I have set commitments at the gym in either the morning or evening.
I am also smarter about what and how much I am eating. There are less baked treats and more vegetables. At the farmer’s market, I steer clear of cookies and carry home bags of each season’s fruits. I let Neil finish my plates at restaurants. By decreasing the amount of refined sugar in my diet, I have found that I crave it less. When I do have it, I feel lethargic. My body has reversed course and now seeks foods that are healthier for me. This isn’t to say that I am 100% off baked goods. Far from it, but I am regulating my intake better.
A couple months into my membership, I confessed to Ann-Maree that I had a distressing realization: this wasn’t a quick weight-loss phase in my life, but a complete lifestyle change. At that point, the dedication to daily exercise was still daunting. Now, I have no problem committing to and advocating for an active lifestyle. Taking control of my health is one of the most empowering decisions I have made. I am well on my way thanks to my training buddies (especially Ann-Maree, my first one, and Neil, my newest one) and trainers at the IC.”
-Katie B.
Find out what happened when the lil’ ones took charge of the Chamber last Friday. Thank you to all the supporters and volunteers for making the ICKB Team Fundraiser a great success!
“I have only recently joined, but I have already seen some great results! For five weeks, I have been coming to the 7am Morning Bootcamp three days a week. My weight has dropped from 208lbs to 200lbs and my percent of body fat has dropped from 18.0% to 15.9%! I am so excited to see the rewards of exercise, a well-balanced diet and positive motivation!
Moving here almost 2 years ago from Tennessee, I was amazed at the cultural atmosphere of healthy eating and being active, but the relocation disrupted my running routine and with all the new culinary adventures, I eventually gained 18lbs. After all the cookies over the holiday, I knew I needed a big change to pull me out of my slump. With the help of the Ice Chamber, a new nutritional plan, and a positive outlook on life, I feel proud to have come this far already.
The biggest change would have to be my breakfast. Since I was a teenager, I have eaten 3 bowls of sugary cereal every morning. Yes, three big bowls of sugary goodness. Now, on IC days I eat a ½ cup of oatmeal with some brown sugar and on non-IC days I eat ½ a bowl of grown-up cereal (Fiber-One Honey Clusters, yum.) Lunch consists of a simple sandwich and some fruit and Dinner is usually a grilled chicken breast, rice and some veggies. The most helpful habit I have picked up is healthy snacking. I usually have a small mid-morning snack and one in the afternoon. For example, a stalk of celery with organic peanut butter, 3oz of Almonds, or some plain yogurt with a little bit of granola. Those snacks really help me not go overboard during bigger meal. If it is after 8pm, forget it! I have been really adamant about making dinner the last meal of the night. I think I remember Oprah talking about that some years ago. O’ and water, we have a pretty tight relationship.
I am human; therefore, my diet is not perfect! I try to keep either Friday or Saturday as an indulgent dinner option. (Last week, I made this killer broccoli, cheddar, and potato soup!) I am trying to keep my excesses in smaller portions and in less frequency than before. Balance.. Moderation.. Terms you hear all the time but whose practice require a great deal of will power. I’m no where near perfect, but I have sure made a lot of progress. Just saying no to that sweet girl with a beautiful box of Samoas is a big step for me!
As I look towards the remainder of the IC Challenge, I hope my physical strength continues to grow. Everyone will agree with me, that the trainers are amazing and I couldn’t be where I am now without you. To all of you who push me to work harder, Thank You!”
-Jason
Anne Trumbore is an inspiration to me in many ways. She exemplifies the passion, compassion, and motivation needed to succeed. The update we received from her this morning (below) is a testament of her dedication to excellence and teamwork. Little does she know that I’ve been tracking her progress every time she trains. Strength, work capacity, and mental fortitude – all there, but I bet that Anne doesn’t even know that she’s also lost 10 pounds since she started training with us.
Thanks Anne for the wonderful update. And yes, John M. and Jenny K. are two rockstars as well! By coincidence, Kim and John are celebrating their third anniversary here at the Chamber. We are the luckiest to have all of you in the IC family! Congratulations to you and all other members celebrating their 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th anniversaries with us this new year!
- Steven
_______________________
“Hey Steve,
Good news from this weekend. On Sunday, John Martinez, Jenny Kinder and I all ran the Kaiser 1/2. John has never run a half before and wanted to finish in two hours. Jenny wanted to be at or near her Nike time, which was 2:04. I wanted to beat my current pr which was 2:25. Well, the results are in and John and Jenny smoked their goals, finishing within seconds of each other at a blazing 1:51! And I had a pr, too at 2:17. We carpooled, had a terrific experience and agreed we would never have been able to do it alone or without the IC, which we spoke of reverently.
Thanks again!”
-Anne
Our youth strength & conditioning program is designed for teens between ages 12 to 17. This exciting new program is suitable for boys & girls of any fitness level!
Focus:
- learn proper exercise and spotting techniques
- increase flexibility, coordination and balance
- develop muscular strength, power and local muscular endurance
- increase anaerobic and aerobic capacity
- enhance functional movement patterns
This new series starts on Feb. 9th. Click here to register now.
