Author: phiawomenscenter

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FREE Mothers Group

Phia Women’s Center will be offering a free mothers group for the women of Cape Ann and surrounding area. There will be toys, books, and other moms and kids to make connections with. Come ask questions, relax and let the kids play, and commiserate on the trials and tribulations of motherhood. Cape Ann Mothers Group will be held every Thursday from 4:00-5:00 pm starting October 12th at 242 Main St. in Gloucester.

Don’t forget to check us out at The Bridge Cape Ann’s Fifth Annual Fall Fest  this Saturday from 11:00 – 4:00 at Mile Marker One. We’ll have a kid’s craft, information about our programing, and a fun treats for adults!

Like us on facebook for updates, events, special offers, and interesting articles. Also, visit our website phiawomenscenter.com for class schedules, staff bios, group schedules, to sign up for our newsletter, and other information.

Mother's Group Announcement

 

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Free Fun For Kids, Fitness For Mom

kidszone2Phia is now offering FREE child care during select classes. We have a separate, fully equipped fun child care room that has toys, activities, and wonderful staff. To sign you child up for childcare you can call or text Phia at (978)491-9112. In you message provide the child’s name, age, your name, and the date and time of the class you’d like childcare for. You will receive a text confirmation that your child has been signed up. All children must be signed up for child care 24 hours prior to Mom’s class time.

More about our child care policies and class descriptions at PHIAWOMENSCENTER.COM

Meet our child care staff:

Billi-Jo

Billi-Jo Todd

Billi-Jo is 33 years old and has been a professional nanny and babysitter for over 12 years. Billi-Jo is a grew up in Gloucester and she has cared for children ages 3 months to 14 years old. She enjoys arts and crafts, being outdoors, and playing sports. Billi-Jo is CPR certified and prides herself on being “kind, honest, trustworthy, and very reliable.”

 

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Anna French

Anna is 33 years old and currently resides in Gloucester. She started babysitting when she was 14 years old. She has been professionally nannying for the past 13 years. She has training in CPR/First Aid. Anna went to school for communications but found her real passion was working with kids. For the past 13 years Anna has been fortunate to pursue a career working with kids of all ages and has loved every minute of it. She currently works for 4 families in the North Shore area.

Kid free fitness classes for Mom:

Tuesday evenings 5:30 – 6:30 pm – ZUMBA

Friday mornings 9:00 – 10:00 am – STRECH AND STRENGTHEN

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Make sure to like us on Facebook for updates, giveaways, class specials, and much more!

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New Fitness Options for Gloucester Moms

If you missed the first Mommy and Me Fitness class last week have no fear! It’s back this week with a new time.

Our mommy and me class will now be from 10:00 – 11:00 am every Wednesday morning at our convenient location on Main St. in Gloucester.

In other exciting news, Phia is now offering FREE child care two days a week. Check out our new fall schedule starting September 5th, after labor day.

Group Fitness 9-17 Phia was created to be a place for women from all walks of life to find a fun, accepting, empowering fitness experience. We wouldn’t be doing our jobs if we didn’t offer options for the moms of our area. Whether you’ve always been into fitness, are just starting on your fitness journey, or are getting back into the swing of things after having a baby, we’ve got an option for you! Our classes are always for all levels.

Come join us this fall at 242 Main St. in Gloucester right across from Liquor Locker.

Also, take a look at our website for more info and don’t forget to like us on facebook!

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You don’t need to,”Get your body back.”

…because it never left.

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After having a baby there is so much pressure for a mom to bounce back to her pre-baby body right away. Magazines and internet articles use terms like,”get your body back.” What they don’t seem to understand is that your body didn’t go anywhere. You didn’t have a child and then suddenly start going about your day as a floating head. In fact you should feel more connected to your body than ever.
It grew a life and brought it into this world. Go you!

 

As moms we have so much on our plates. We work (if you stay at home believe me I know you put in plenty of work), we take care of the kids, and we try to take care of ourselves. Unfortunately self care often becomes last on the list of things to do. Is it our fault or are there just not enough options that take parenting into account? Some may say that you’re just not making the time that you should. Why aren’t you getting up at 5:00 am to do pushups? Why aren’t you burning the midnight oil to get back to pre-baby size? Here’s another opinion: Is it really self-care if you’re running yourself into the ground trying to do it? For some moms getting up at 5:00 am to work out, or going for a run after the kids are in bed, works. For others, they just need another option that fits into their life as it is.

Also, lets talk about fun. The world is often a serious place and with news stations warning us about pesticides, kidnappers, cyber bullies, and so much more we need a little light heartedness in our lives. If exercise is drudgery it ain’t happening! So let’s discuss some options.

  1. Walking

    A great place to start is a simple walk. Pop the kid(s) in the stroller and enjoy some fresh air, scenery (can’t beat a walk by the ocean), and those feet hitting the pavement. Bring a friend, the dog, or do it solo. Even a short walk around the neighborhood is enough to improve your mood and burn a few calories.

  2. Get the kids involved

    Getting the kids involved not only kills two birds with one stone, it teaches them a good lesson about a healthy and active life style. Examples: have a dance off in the living room, make an obstacle course that you can do together, make a game out of boring exercises like squats, pushups, or jumping jacks.

  3. Find a fitness class that offers child care

    There are some fitness studios that offer free or low priced child care when you attend a class. This is a great option for single moms, or mothers who’s partner isn’t available to watch the kids to get some “me” time. Heads up: most require pre-registration so plan ahead.

  4. Join a mommy and me class

    This is a great option because it again, gets the kids involved, but also takes out all of the thought or prep on your end. Mommy and me classes also give you an opportunity to meet other moms to converse (and commiserate) about mommy-hood. Being a modern mom can be a very isolating experience. This is a great opportunity to see that you’re not alone in the struggle to be “Mom” but also “Me.”

These are a few great options to help you get started reclaiming your body (not recreating it). Being a mom means our bodies are often dedicated to the service of tiny humans, and that role is important. What is also important is that we stake a claim to our bodies in the most positive way possible. Being active and healthy doesn’t have to mean you have to try to be super woman, while being super mom, and therefore ending the day super tired.

If you can think of any other ways to be active and healthy while being a wonderfully busy momma leave them in the comments below. Other moms (us too!) would love to hear your ideas. Also, if you’re in the Gloucester area and would like to find some mom/kid friendly options check out our website at WWW.PHIAWOMENSCENTER.COM
or like us on facebook for updates on what’s coming up for moms in the Gloucester community.

Lastly, the most important part of being active is showing up. Whether you’re running a 5k pushing a stroller or going for your first long walk in months, you showed up. Both are impressive, both are valid, both will benefit you. And now a round of applause to happy, active, moms and to fitness options that make more happy, active, women.

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Mommy & Me Fitness Class Coming Soon!

mother-daughter-love-sunset-51953Starting Wednesday August 23rd we will be offering a fun mommy and me fitness class for moms with children 0-3 years old. The class will be every Wednesday morning from 9:00 – 10:00am.  Mommy and Me Fitness will feature fun kid friendly music, and exercises that include the kids and give Mom a great workout. Children who can not sit up on their own should come in their car seat for easy mobility. We have a separate, comfortable area available for breastfeeding mothers to nurse. Bring water, towel, your little one, and your sense of humor!

We are also excited to announce that starting in September Phia will be offering childcare during select classes. Now there’s no need to arrange for a babysitter or wait until your spouse is home. We’ve got you covered! Stay tuned for more details and the release of our fall schedule.

For more information and our current class schedule visit PHIAWOMENSCENTER.COM

Don’t forget to like us on facebook for updates, giveaways, and announcements.

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Learn To Make Origami Flowers At Phia

Our July craft night will be a fun origami paper folding workshop. This is a great relaxing alternative to a Friday night out at the bar or, a great activity to do in between dinner and going to hear your favorite local band play. Located right downtown on Main St., Phia is the perfect location to walk to all the local hot spots.

Origami paper folding is an ancient craft that promotes creativity, relaxation, and mindfulness. Phia’s origami flower workshop will teach you to make several types of paper flowers and we will give you written directions and pictures for each flower to take home. These flowers are the perfect way to capture this beautiful growing season all year long. Come sip your favorite drink, fold some paper, and enjoy fun, low key vibes. All are welcome! No experience needed.

Only $15 when you register online today!

July 2017 Craft Night Flyer

Pre-register here: www.phiawomenscenter.com

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Free class to first time customers!

Phia is extending our Free First Class offer into July! Want to try out one of our classes and see what the buzz is about? This is a great opportunity to experience one of our fun fitness classes with NO obligation. All of our classes are for all levels of fitness and our instructors offer different intensity and difficulty levels during each class. We offer strengthening classes, integrated flexibility training, Zumba, yoga, ballet fitness and guided mediation. Our classes are tailored to the specific strength and weight loss issues that women face and we will work with you to achieve your fitness and wellness goals. If you like your first class you can drop into another class for just $10 or sign up for a class punch card and receive an additional free class.

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Photo credit: Kara Caso Photography

So what are you waiting for? Drop in for any of our classes and find your happy place at Phia Women’s Center! We’re located right downtown at 242 Main St. two doors down from Stone’s Pub.

WWW.PHIAWOMENSCENTER.COM

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Cardio Dance Party at Phia

woman exercising fitness zumba dancing silhouette

This Saturday morning from 9:00 – 10:00am

DJ Lara Jardullo will be spinning some fun beats while you follow along to easy to follow, fun choreography. All are welcome. No experience needed, ANY fitness level welcome! Wear sneakers, activewear, and bring a towel and water.

Where’s the fun happening? Phia Women’s Center at 242 Main St., two doors down from Stone’s Pub.

Pre-register online and only pay $10 admission is $15 at the door. Reserve your spot at www.phiawomenscenter.com

Mimosas afterwards to start your Fiesta Saturday off right! Let’s get this party pumping!

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The Truth About Cardio

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Summer is here, Fiesta weekend is around the corner, and we’re all scrambling to get that summer bod in shape. But where to begin? Dropping lbs quick means hitting that pavement, treadmill, elliptical, or treadmill for at least an hour right? Lots of time spent doing cardio is bound to drop the pounds, or is it? Well the answer is yes, and no. These long cardio sessions will help you to drop some weight but there are some down sides.

Now, before I go on I want to state for the record that this article is not written to discourage anyone from starting, or continuing, to run or do other endurance aerobic activities. These types of activities have many incredible benefits including increases in cardiovascular heath, lower blood pressure, and stress relief (health.harvard.edu) Nothing wrong with that! That being said, there’s always a down side.

The first down side is that endurance running takes a serious time commitment. If you’re just starting out even a 5k distance can take close to an hour or more. You will slowly get quicker but again, it takes time. Time that could be spent at the beach with your new beach bod!

That leads us to the second down side of long cardio sessions. When you’re running, jogging, bicycling, or jazzercise-ing for long periods of time you are not only burning fat but also muscle. Endurance athletes train a particular type of muscle call slow twitch muscle or type 1 muscle. This type of muscle is dense with mitochondria which allow the muscle to use oxygen as fuel. Fast twitch muscle however, cannot create a large amount of force. So if you’re trying to build strength (which is a really good idea) your endurance training is going to be fighting against your strength training.

Lastly, we have to consider the caloric after effect of our exercise. If you’re doing an hour plus of moderate cardiovascular exercise (I’m looking at you “guy who holds onto stair master while walking,” and you “bouncy doesn’t sweat elliptical girl,”) there is no after effect. However, studies have shown that with high intensity activity (you should not be able to cary a conversation during said activity) there is a significant after effect or “after burn” of calories.

Now we’ve established that running may not be the best way to get that killer beach bod quick. So then what is? HIIT which stands for High Intensity Interval Training. HIIT mixes short bursts of high intensity activity with low impact exercises and rest periods. And get this, HIIT trains fast twitch or type 2 muscle which is the same type of muscle used during strength training. Lastly you can do a highly effective HIIT workout in as little as 20-30 minutes. You read that right. Half the time, intensity that leaves a lingering afterburn of calories, and you’ll get strong while loosing fat. Here’s the visual difference:

Sprinter Vs. Endurance
HIIT (Sprint training)          Endurance

And guess what? Phia Women’s Center has a judgement free, all levels, ladies only (sorry fellas) HIIT class every Thursday night at 7:30. Your first class is free for the month of June and every class after that is only $10. You can also join us for our Cardio Dance Party on the 24th of June which will integrate HIIT into some super fun dance routines. Register at phiawomenscenter.com

Dance Party Flyer

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Special Summer Offers at Phia

Now your first fitness class at Phia Women’s Center is FREE. Get a second class free when you purchase a 4 class punch card or 5 class ZUMBA punch card. Classes are only $10.

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About Phia Women’s Center: 

Phia stands for the Greek word Sophia, meaning feminine wisdom. Our center provides a place for women to come and share their wisdom, experiences, and aspirations with each other. Phia Women’s Center strives to bring women together to support each other in their journey to health, wellness, empowerment, and understanding. Phia is a space for women from all fitness levels, all ages, all body types, all backgrounds to come together, learn from each other, and be well. We offer fitness classes, massage, groups, workshops, and fun events. Take a look at our fitness class schedule:

Group Fitness 5-17

 

Find out more information at phiawomenscenter.com

Don’t forget about our Cardio Dance Party on June 24th! Our incredible DJ Lara Jardullo will be spinning some awesome beats!

Dance Party Flyer