Easy ways to stay fit at HOME!

Hey everyone, my name is Marco Lavia, I attend Humber College and I am
enrolled in the Sports Management program. I am currently in my second of
third year, and an intern at Victory Volleyball.

My interests are sports, I've been playing various types of sports my
whole life, and my favorite sport is soccer. Soccer has been a big part of
my life, and because of soccer I really believe in healthy living for
everyone!.

Being healthy is so important for us, being healthy makes us live longer.
Being healthy makes not only feel good but makes us LOOK GOOD!. Now I know
its hard for everyone to be on a healthy diet, or go to the gym with our
busy life styles, but I would love to share to everyone that you can do a
great work out in your OWN HOME! These will be 4 easy exercises you can do
around your own home that will guide you to a healthy living life style.
Stair climbing - Easy way to get a quick work out going.
Laundry lifts - Fill the laundry basket with cloths, make sure not to
heavy, lift over your head, or do some crunches with it.
Commercial break exercise - during commercials, move a round, stretch and
grab a lightweight.
Rolling chair presses - If you have an office chair with wheels hold onto
the edge of your desk while you are seated use your arm muscles to pull
yourself close to the desk, and then push yourself back away.
Follow these simple steps and you will feel fit, and it's a great way to
start a living healthy life style in your OWN HOME! 

Thanks everyone hope these little things help out, getting healthy is
start as well try to eat healthy, gets your veggies,and fruit servings
you need for the day, as well STAY MOTIVATED THROUGH THE PROCESS!

Marco Lavia 

Getting In Shape - A Victory Or Not?

As I began my journey at Victory on January 2^nd, 2012, I was fresh off of two weeks of over eating, zero exercise and some very casual alcohol consumption.   As I began my first week of work, there was much discussion around the office about the holidays, and how devastatingly out of shape everyone felt.  Having such a dynamic and motivated staff (minus Jimmy), we decided that it was time to sweat out the excess cargo we picked up over the Christmas holidays.  It became a necessity that everyone brought their gym clothes to work every day, and we began our workouts doing the Beach Body Insanity Cardio circuits.  We did this fairly consistently for a few weeks, but eventually began to find new workouts and methods of getting in shape.  We brought in a chin up bar and an ab wheel, and developed a quota for how many chin-ups and sit-ups needed to be done every day.  We managed to meet the quota every day, while doing some p90x workouts intermittently.  About a month had gone by, and everyone was feeling great and looking great!  We had done it – we were skinny and healthy again! Sounds like a Fairy tale ending, right? Wrong.  If staying in shape and exercising all the time were that easy, everyone would find time to look healthy and feel great.  However, life gets in the way.  With the inaugural Healthy Hearts Tournament coming up, working out suddenly got thrown onto the back burner.  Just one week off can’t hurt though right? Wrong again.  Just as our Healthy Hearts tournament concluded, our inspiration and guiding light, Rachelle, decided she deserved a vacation!  With her gone, we attempted to do some work-outs, but we were missing the motivation to really push ourselves! So now here we are, two weeks after Healthy Hearts, fresh off another week of eating poorly and not exercising enough. However, we have just made new quotas for our daily workouts and consciously turned down a Burger King lunch!  Will today be the day that Victory turns it around? Stay Tuned for my next blog and find out if we are looking great or gaining weight!

Shawn Lowry

Chinese New Year!

Kung Hei Fat Choy! On Monday, January 23, 2012 it will be Chinese New Year. What are you going to be doing for the Lunar New Year? Even though it is on a Monday, I read online about some very fun events you can still part take in. It is not too late! Why not take a break, relax, and join in on the fun?

Chinese New Year Festivities 

Presented by: Chinatown BIA
   
Starts: January 23, 2012
Ends: January 29, 2012

Location:

Chinatown
Dundas Street West and Spadina Avenue

Information:
Jan 23 - Opening Ceremony with media & dignitaries, lion troop dances
Jan 28 & 29 - Chinatown Centre and Dragon City Mall performances and lion dance parades from 12pm-6pm, (traditional folk dancing, singing, Chinese music rendition, magic show, belly dance lesson, youth talent shows, and other entertaining performances)

More information here!   

       

CIBC LunarFest

Presented by:
CIBC and Harbourfront Centre
   
Starts: January 20, 2012

Ends: January 24, 2012

Location:

Harbourfront Centre

Information:

Centred on the theme of “Treasures of the Sea" Lantern, Aquarium, exhibitions of traditional and contemporary arts, range of activities for family, games, crafts, theatre, skating, holiday culinary options and more

More information here!


Victory wishes everyone a happy Chinese/Lunar New Year! Have fun!

Travel Resolutions :)

So this is longest time I’ve been in the country (without little trips to the states), since 2007. And I’m going a little crazy. I had a big travel bug right after I graduated university and was only home sporadically between 2007 and 2010. So as much as I hate making New Year’s resolutions and think that they are silly and something that people never do, I made (one of) my resolutions to leave this freaking country for a while. I neeed to travel!! Although 2011 was pretty great and I did get to see parts of Canada that I had never seen to before (the Rockies!), I wished I could have gone to explore more of this world. I came across a great article in the Globe & Mail and decided no more excuses, I need to make this happen! Not sure where the destination is going to be yet (Europe is pretty high up there), but I’m going to make sure I go somewhere. Anyway, I found the article really helpful and realistic (with great tips) so if any of you have that same bug, take a look and just do it!

Happy Travels J

Meghan  



I want to travel more in 2012. How can I make it happen?

karan smith

From Saturday's Globe and Mail

Published Friday, Dec. 30, 2011 12:06PM EST

Last updated Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011 9:06AM EST

The Question: My New Year’s resolution is to travel more. How can I make it happen?

Coming up with the dream list – kayaking in the Bay of Fundy, touching the crumbling wall where Joan of Arc once stood, grasping the rough coat of a camel as it lurches to its feet – is the easy part. Finding the time, money and liberty is the hard part. Here's how to dust off your passport this year:

Tackle the challenges: What's stopping you? Sit down and figure out how to overcome roadblocks. Is there an easier season for you to get away from work? Can someone else feed your cat while you're gone? Are you afraid your children won't survive the journey?

“Don't worry too much about it,” says a working mom I know who always seems to be preparing for her next trip with her two sweet-cheeked boys. “Kids are much more flexible and adaptable than we think they are. They can survive for a few weeks outside their routine and – gasp! – even enjoy it.”

Be open to possibilities: Remain open-minded when you're planning, says Ann Kirkland, who abandoned a career in health administration to create the literary travel company, Classical Pursuits (classicalpursuits.com). But do set a deadline to decide where and when to travel, and yes, even, make a non-refundable deposit. “You can dream forever, just as you can plan forever. For people who are anxious about travel, starting with something small and manageable is almost certainly better than taking off for Africa by yourself.”

Fuel your inspiration: Research your destination. If you're planning a trip to Italy, sign up for a language class. Always dreamed of Spanish culture? Take a flamenco course. And read, read, read. Before I travelled to India

I devoured fiction about the country that proved as inspirational as guidebooks. And on the nitty-gritty side, sign up for e-mail alerts from airlines or travel companies about your desired destination. Recognizing a good deal on a New York hotel can spur you to book.

Be creative with finances: Use up those banked holiday days. Choose “time” instead of money when working overtime. Start an automatic monthly savings account and label it: Machu Picchu 2012! Or plan a trip to a destination where our dollar stretches further.

“You can get a lot of mileage in the Western Hemisphere,” says Robert Reid, a spokesman for Lonely Planet (lonelyplanet.com) and the author of countless guidebooks. “Meaning if you only have a week off, and a limited budget, Central America gives a very exotic punch for little money, no jet lag, and not much travel time. One of my all-time favorites is studying Spanish in Latin America.”

Consider a B-city: Think about going to Lyon over Paris, or travelling off-season, says Kirkland. “Ditto with seasons. London in February actually feels like spring and prices are comparatively good.”

Just do it: This is what the travellers with the battered suitcases say over and over. For me, setting foot in a new place is just something I want to spend money on. And it doesn't have to start with one around-the-world-ticket (although that would have been nice in the stocking, no?). I'd rather have the experience, than a new couch. (And you should see my couch.)

There's just so much to gain in travel from true R&R to a beyond-the-headlines immersion into another culture. Sign me up!

Send your travel questions to concierge@globeandmail.com. Follow Karan Smith on Twitter: @karan_smith.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/travel/ask-a-travel-expert/i-want-to-travel-more-in-2012-how-can-i-make-it-happen/article2287298/



How can you not miss this??
Australia, 2009



Victory's Turning 3!

On Friday, December 2^nd, 2011, Victory Volleyball will be celebrating its 3^rd Anniversary! Everyone is welcome to join the party from 6:00pm – 9:00pm to help us celebrate and participate in all the fun! There will be pizza and cake for the first 100 people. We’ll also be offering 3 hours of drop-in play for only $3 (members are free), plus:

Serving Competition

Hitting Competition

League Sign-up specials

$30 Court Rentals (book in advance, while quantities last!)

Tons of Prizes!

•          Esso Gift Cards
•          T-shirts
•          Knee pads
•          Touques
•          Holiday Memberships

See you there!

SALSA

My mom started making salsa a few years ago and since she started, it has been something that our entire family looks forward to every September (for our yearly supply of course). I started making it with her last year. A few days after making it, I brought a jar over to a friend's one day and, after consuming the entire thing, we had convinced ourselves that we were capable enough of making some of our own. A few days later, we had purchased the jars, all the ingredients and we were ready to go. It started off pretty well- There were a few little glitches like how we would chop the veggies because we didn’t have a food processor* so we tried the magic bullet but it wasn’t quite strong enough so we just ended up chopping them all. Everything else seemed to go pretty smoothly and we thought we had pulled it off. So we sealed the bottles and split them up between each other. I never actually tried the batch (BIG mistake- ALWAYS sample) until a few weeks later when I brought a jar to a friend's place. We decided to make a big batch of nachos and pour the salsa I brought all over it. One of my friends was sampling as the nachos were cooking in the oven and she had said it was good and had a "smoky" taste to it. This threw me off because there weren’t any ingredients in it that would make it smoky. So I tried it and it turns out we had burned it. I talked to the other girls I made it with to see if maybe it was just mine but theirs was burnt as well. If it starts to stick (and burn) at the bottom of the pot (with big batches this is pretty common because it needs to cook for so long), it’s important to not scrape the bottom of the pot and mix it with everything else so that your entire batch isn’t ruined (like ours was). Had we of known that going in, maybe we wouldn’t have ruined 24 jars of salsa J.
So anyway, this year I decided to document the process to share with you all because it really is pretty easy. We use the Bernardin mix every year and the recipe listed below is for Pearadise Salsa. They have all sorts of recipes that come in the mix including regular salsa. Pearadise is pretty delicious though. It’s a nice change from regular salsa but still has the spice with a hint of sweetness from the pears. We added in some (chopped) jalapeños as well for some added spice as well. The recipe listed below is pretty easy to follow- you can find it online but also like I said before it comes in the packages with the mix. You can find the mix pretty much anywhere- most grocery stores carry it. I found it at Canadian Tire this year and they had the jars and lids there as well.



The mix

9 cups (2250 ml) chopped, seeded tomatoes, about 5 lb (2.3 kg), 20 medium

7 cups (1750 ml) chopped, peeled pears, 5 - 7 medium

2 cups (500 ml) chopped celery

1 cup (250 ml) cider vinegar

1 pkg (115 g) BERNARDIN® Salsa Mix

4 tbsp (60 ml) brown sugar

*My mom uses a food processor for the veggies after chopping them a bit- it’s faster and more consistent. Also, when chopping cut the veggies the same size so they cook evenly and if you end up food processing them they’ll process at the same rate and you won’t have random chunks of veggies in your delicious salsa.

• Place 6 clean 500 ml mason jars on a rack in a boiling water canner; cover jars with water and heat to a simmer (180°F/82°C). Set screw bands aside. Heat SNAP LID® sealing discs in hot water, not boiling (180°F/82°C). Keep jars and sealing discs hot until ready to use.

• Combine tomatoes, pears, celery, vinegar, BERNARDIN® salsa mix and brown sugar in a large, deep stainless steel saucepan. Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer stirring constantly, just until mixture is heated through.

The first batch cooking.

• REFRIGERATED: Ladle hot salsa into six hot 500 ml jars or two 1.5 L mason jars; apply closures. Cool 30 minutes and refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze in straight-sided jars or containers up to 1 year.

• SHELF-STABLE: Ladle hot salsa into a hot 500 ml mason jar to within 1/2 inch (1 cm) of top of jar (headspace). Using nonmetallic utensil, remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if required, by adding more salsa. Wipe jar rim removing any food residue. Centre hot sealing disc on clean jar rim. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight. Return filled jar to rack in canner. Repeat for remaining salsa.

• When canner is filled, ensure that all jars are covered by at least one inch (2.5 cm) of water. Cover canner and bring water to full rolling boil before starting to count processing time. At altitudes up to 1000 ft (305 m), process –boil filled jars –15 minutes.

• When processing time is complete, remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars without tilting and place them upright on a protected work surface. Cool upright, undisturbed 24 hours; DO NOT RETIGHTEN screw bands.

• After cooling check jar seals. Sealed discs curve downward and do not move when pressed. Remove screw bands; wipe and dry bands and jars. Store screw bands separately or replace loosely on jars, as desired. Label and store jars in a cool, dark place. For best quality, use home canned foods within one year.

Some of the finished products!

We usually make a few batches since we want it to last the whole year (and need to supply our extended family with it as well). One batch typically makes about 6 big (500ml) jars or 12 small (250ml) ones. Also, it's a great thing to bring when you are invited over to a friend's house and would be great to bring to any holiday party's you may have coming up.

Here's a link to a bunch of salsa recipes: http://www.bernardin.ca/pages/salsas/23.php.

Happy Salsa’ing!

-Meghan

“I want to be a part of it, New York, New York”

When I woke up last Friday, the first thing I did was read an article about how amazing the New York City Marathon is.  The event is apparently a HUGE citywide party, and I immediately wanted to experience it.  So after calling and messaging a ton of people, I was finally able to convince a friend to head down to NYC with me for the day. =)

We got on a bus at 10pm Saturday night, arrived in New York at 8am Sunday morning, partied for 15 hours straight (thank you daylight savings for the extra hour), before boarding our Toronto bound bus at 10pm that night.  Now I know this sounds completely insane (especially since I was at work by 10am Monday morning), but it was honestly one of the funnest, craziest days of my life!!

For hours my friend and I cheered, danced and partied in the streets of New York City with 2 million other people!  We followed the marathon route from Brooklyn to Queens, to Manhattan, to the Bronx, then back to Manhattan in Central Park where runners crossed the finish line.  (Unfortunately they don’t allow spectators at the starting line which is on Staten Island.)  This legendary course passes through all five boroughs and provides an incredible view of New York.  It was absolutely amazing getting to see all the diverse neighbourhoods and cultures of the city!

Unlike other marathons, the majority of runners aren’t super serious.  They realize how big of a party it is, and aren’t concerned with times or personal bests.  I was actually really surprised to see hardly anyone wearing watches or listening to music.  Instead, the runners were smiling…yes smiling!!  They were holding video cameras, they were dressed up in costumes, they were dancing, they stopped frequently to take pictures with the crowd, and some were even drinking beers that spectators were handing out! 

There was a live band at every mile, all of the stores were handing out free stuff, and everyone had some sort of noisemaker.  The bars along the route were packed, signs of encouragement could be seen for miles, and I must have high-fived at least a thousand people.  The vibe was just incredible!!

As you can see the NYC marathon isn’t just another race, it’s huge event!  It attracts runners of all ages and skill levels from all over the world, and to race through it without soaking it all in would do it a huge injustice.

So I got back in town Monday morning absolutely exhausted; feet killing, head pounding, but with a huge smile on my face. I met a ton of cool people, got to see parts of New York City that I had never seen before, and experienced what many call the greatest marathon in the world! 

Honestly, if you want to be a part of something big and crazy, then you definitely have to go to NYC on “Marathon Sunday”. 

=)

Rachelle

At the NYC Marathon finish line.  We made it!!