As some of you know, I’ve been working on losing some weight and getting back into shape. It’s a typical story: boy is single, boy gets in shape. Boy meets girl, boy marries girl, fitness goes out the window, especially with all the ‘sympathy eating’ during girl’s pregnancy. Believe it or not, this was me just five years ago:

Slowly, surely, I became this:

*May not actually be me

So, understandably, I needed to do something about it. In addition to joining the gym at the Prestige Oceanfront Resort in Sooke, I met up with Michelle from MIJO fitness at a Sooke Chamber function. Michelle told me about her FITCamp program and I was intrigued. One of the things I’ve always hated about working out is the routine. Doing the same exercises and running on the treadmill gets excruciatingly boring after a while, and it’s easy to lose interest. Michelle promised that I wouldn’t be bored and that I’d get the best workout of my life.

She was right.

The fresh air alone is invigorating, and fall temperatures are perfect!

MIJO FITCamps are held outdoors at various parks and public facilities around Sooke (and there is a separate program in Colwood/Langford too). I arrived last Tuesday evening at Journey Middle School not really knowing what to expect. It started out easy enough, a short jog around the parking lot to warm up. Then it got serious. Michelle put us through our paces with some tough circuit training. There were giant step-ups, long jumps, and push ups followed by more running. And then stair climbing, squats and rows, and more push ups. And more running.

Giant steps

By 30 minutes in, I’m sweating profusely and I’ve already drank all my water. What’s next? More stair climbing, some stretchy-tube lat exercises, and – you guessed it – more push-ups. Finally we’re done – cooling down in the evening air and stretching our tired muscles. I felt amazing after the workout and couldn’t wait for the next class.

Michelle briefs the group on today's boot camp

Some things I noticed about the bootcamp. Every exercise Michelle had me do seemed a lot easier than it actually was. I would think ‘no sweat,’ and sweat I did. Michelle knows how to make her students really work. There are lower-impact options. Michelle makes sure that everyone can participate and offers alternatives to all the exercises to ensure that no one is left out or unable to perform the training. And finally, I was the only guy in the class! Why more men don’t take advantage of these classes, I really don’t know. It was fun, the fresh air was great, and it’s much more interesting than slogging away in the gym. And let me tell you – I haven’t ever been that sore the next day from a gym workout.

If you’re looking for a challenge, and something different than the ol’ gym routine, contact Michelle and sign up for FITCamp – you’ll be glad you did!

PS – if you’re not following me on Facebook, you’re missing out – like What The Sooke?! on Facebook!

I’m pleased to announce that I will be teaching web marketing and social media training in Victoria, BC starting next month. Reachd.com has approached me to be their Victoria instructor. The 3-hour classes are taught in the afternoon, and are ideal for anyone in any small business who wants to learn how to capitalize on this growing trend. How can you effectively use social media and web marketing to grow your business? I can’t wait to show you how. The three courses that are happening next month are: Social Media Guided Tour ($149), Explode Your Growth With A Blog ($149), and Broadcast Your Message With Online Video ($249 – includes a video camera!). You can take all three courses for $399 – a savings of $149. Come out and learn something in December and be ahead of your competition in the new year!

The courses will also be offered in January, along with courses on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Google AdWords.

More information and registration at http://TimAyres.ca/reachd

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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Are you in business in the Sooke region? The newly formed Sooke Biz Net business networking group is hosting its inaugural event tomorrow night, Thursday, June 25th.

The idea behind Sooke Biz Net is that it will be different from other business networking groups. Gone is the exclusivity and structured format. We’ve thrown the traditional out the window and have created a made-in-Sooke solution that’s based on monthly networking events, with featured speakers and presenters. You’ll learn something at the event that you can use immediately to help run your business or expand your reach. The focus is on fun, and you’ll need to expect the unexpected!

Tomorrow night’s event will be held at Sooke Ocean Resort, 6669 Horne Road, from 5:30 until 7:30. Tickets to the event are only $20 and that covers wine and fabulous food by Kari Osselton of Sushi on the Sea/Souki Sushi.

The theme for the evening is Communication This Moment! I will be the featured speaker for the evening, presenting Twitter in Ten Minutes, a short overview of one of the most powerful networking and communications tools since the advent of the Internet. The featured technology for the evening will be Skype, and Wendy Ashbee will speak about Send Out Cards.

There will also be prizes courtesy of Bombora Gifts and Sooke Fine Art Gallery, and the grand prize of a full-page colour ad for your business in the RV Times (a $2000 value).

Don’t miss this fun event. Come mix, mingle, network, learn and most of all, have fun!

Contact me at 250-885-012, fill in my contact form, or email tim@timayres.ca for tickets.

Follow Sooke Biz Net on Twitter!

I hope to see you there!

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

Your comments are welcomed and encouraged!
Just use the form or link below this post.

You can bookmark this post using the button below,
or subscribe to this blog for free updates using the big buttons on the sidebar!