Stay In the Hoop

Today we could not be more excited to feature our Hooper Star of the week: the First Lady herself, Michelle Obama. We think that Hoopers everywhere can agree that no matter what side of the party you are on, we are all just happy to see that Hoops have made it to the party!  One look at her famously toned biceps tells you that she is one fit First Lady. But did you know that she is also a huge advocate for healthy lifestyles in schools throughout the country? She started Let's Move, a comprehensive initiative dedicated to solving the problem of childhood obesity so that today's kids can grow up healthy and able to pursue their dreams. Sounds like a very worthy cause to us! So why exactly is she a Hooper Star (As if bringing a full on HoopJam to the White House lawn wasn't enough) Because she is a self-proclaimed hooper for life! In a recent interview, when asked about her favorite forms of exercise the First Lady confessed, "If I do have a talent, it is hula-hooping. I can hula-hoop forever. And I've been a hula-hooper since I was little. That and double-dutch."    Now it's your turn to make like the First Lady, and hoop it up!

Do you want to add a fun challenge to your hoop practice? Why not try an exciting new move like the Elbow Drop-in? Our Tips & Tricks feature this week is brought to you by Hoopnotica Master Trainer Jacqui Becker! Watch and learn as she breaks down the "Elbow Drop-in" so that you can master it in no time! This move builds on the foundation that you learned in Hoopnotica DVD 1, and is a great way to take you hooping to the next level. You can do this move with your full size or TravelHoop from our SHOP! Check it out and let us know what you think!  

Fall is here! Well...not officially, but with the arrival of fall flavors at Starbucks & other local coffee shops (our personal favorite is Abbot's Habit in Venice) and an uncharacteristically rainy day here in LA, it's easy to pretend. But before you resign to hibernating in cozy sweaters as the weather cools down, follow our Healthy HoopStyle blog posts to learn how to lighten those indulgent temptations. With choices like Salted Caramel Mochas and Pumpkin Spice Lattes, it's hard to believe "light" is even an option. But believe it, because here are some tips to help keep you fit (and well-caffeinated) this fall: 1. Order a small (8 oz) or medium (12 oz)...get the perfect dose of these rich fall flavors, because a 20 oz Large would just be overkill. 2. Make it a "double"...this way, you get an added boost of coffee and fewer calories from other ingredients. 3. Slim with skim...Order your drink with skim milk to save 90 calories and 8 grams of fat, but still benefit from all the protein! 4. Toy with soy...Soy milk is another great alternative to whole milk, and we think it actually makes Pumpkin Spice lattes taste even more delicious! 5. Skip the whip...We are sorry to inform you that one of the best ways to trim fat and calories from your frothy favorite is to request it without whipped cream. Try asking for extra foam instead, and you just might trick yourself into thinking it's the real deal. 6. Just say "skinny"...the codeword for sugarfree syrups at Starbucks, "skinny" drinks are a great way to lighten a drink when possible (unfortunately this is not an option for our favorite Pumpkin Spice drinks, but some things are just worth the splurge). 7. Hoop it up!...Okay, this one doesn't have anything to do with tasty drinks, but it will definitely help keep you fit for fall! And let's be honest, it's always the season for hooping!

Happy Tuesday Hoopers!  We hope you had a fun-filled Labor Day weekend with friends, family, backyard barbeques, and of course some time in your hoop! This week, we're introducing the first of our Hoop Tunes Tuesday posts on our blog. The right song can make all the difference to your practice, so want to share some of our favorites to hoop and groove to. Today we are feeling a little nostalgic and remembering our happy memories from the Wanderlust Festival Last month. After days filled with hooping, yoga, and soaking up the sun, we spent our nights listening to some truly incredible artists on the Main Stage. Our personal favorite was Beats Antique...right now we can't stop listening to "Beauty Beats" as we hoop it up. Grab your hoop, turn up your speakers and lose yourself in the tunes this Tuesday! Feel free to comment below with your favorite Hoop Tunes these days, and we might even feature your pick one week!

Happy Labor Day Hoopers! Costa Rica, here we come... Just because summer is coming to an end doesn’t mean the fun has to. If you’ve been dreaming of a vacation in paradise – wake up, pack your hoop, and head to the Costa Rican coast with Hoopnotica! Join us from November 19th – November 26th for a retreat filled with hooping, expressive dance, yoga, and plenty of healthy fresh food. Sign up now and receive a $100 discount on this not-to-be-missed rejuvenating retreat. Enter "COSTA RICA" in coupon code box at check out. Offer ends 9/3/12. Find out more information on last year’s retreat here, or watch this highlights video! DIuC3tJErqs   TWO Ways to Extend the Olympic Dream... This Labor Day weekend, create a Hooper's paradise at home with these two incredible promotions on our patriotic Olympia Hoops: 1. Buy a full size Olympia Hoop, and we will give you a pair of patriotic Mini Hoops for only $15! 2. Buy an Olympia High Performance hoop, and we'll send you a matching hoop extender for free! Not only do you get two hoops for the price of one, but this testimonial from an expert hooper proves that you can't put a price on hooping happiness: Now grab your hoop, and go have some holiday fun in the sun!

This week we bring you the first blog post on our brand new website! This is one of our many tips and tricks from Hoopnotica Master Trainers... Learn this exciting move with Jacqui Becker and get ready to get your Hoop On!  "The Foot Flick" is the best way to transition from on body to off body hooping with, you guessed it - a flick of the foot! You can learn more about Jacqui on her new Facebook fan page! To Get Certified with Jacqui or one of our other amazing Hoopnotica Master Trainers take a look at the calendar   or send us an email  trainings@hoopnotica.com to see if Hoopnotica is coming soon to a city near you. MORE INFO You can leave questions and comments for Jacqui below and we would LOVE to see videos of you learning "The Foot Flick"  on Hoopnotica's Facebook page!

   “I love my new body and my new way of life. My hoop has changed me forever!” I was very overweight when I started hooping in the fall of 2009... Although I have battled with my weight for most of my life, I had experienced recent traumas that significantly effected my health and overall fitness levels. Life has taught me that although there are many things I have no control over, there are some things that I do. My Hoop Journey I had been through a treatment for cancer, and stacked with a subsequent pregnancy, my “Hoop journey” met me at a time when my weight was at an all time high. I weighed 230 lbs! It was at that point that I decided I needed to change my life. I felt that I could change my unhealthy path by beginning to live a healthy lifestyle.But as I started to change my eating habits, I realized that I had been through this before. Time and time again in my life I had restricted my diet with some degree of success; but the weight would always return. This time, I knew I needed to do more; I needed an activity that would get me moving and keep moving. The problem was that I really hated to exercise. I tried all types of activities but I never found anything that I enjoyed doing, and each activity would eventually just fade away. That is, until the day when I read an article online about Michelle Obama hooping on The White House lawn, to promote physical fitness. I was instantly intrigued…it looked fun! The only problem in my mind was that as a child I could not hula hoop at all! I was relentless in my online research about hooping and I decided I needed to give it a try.My husband heard my chatter about the hula-hoop and surprised me one day with a plastic kid’s hoop. He did not realize that I needed an adult sized hula hoop- but I didn’t let that disappoint me. I purchased a larger, adult-sized hoop online, and read up about how to waist hoop. I practiced this in my bedroom for a long time. I continued researching hooping online, and found Hoopnotica.I was immediately drawn to their style of teaching and how graceful the Hoopnotica Master Trainers were with their hoops; I wanted to be like them! I had never been considered graceful! I ordered the Hoopnotica program and watched the DVD chapters in my bedroom for months. I loved how I could just let go and free my mind while I was hooping. I felt an immediate stress relief when I hooped, and my weight was just melting off with every pass of the hoop. I became obsessed with it. A year later, I decided I wanted to dig deeper. I needed to find a hoop class. Sadly there were none in my area, but I did find a few hooping classes over an hour away. One of them was taught by a Hoopnotica Certified Instructor and instantly knew that was the class I needed to take. I drove for over an hour to take my first hoop class where I met a wonderful instructor and now, a good friend. This woman encouraged me to become a certified Hoopnotica teacher myself and I decided to go for it! I had two months to prepare for the training and I worked my butt off everyday for my teaching certification! In February 2010, I became a Hoopnotica Instructor and I am now certified in three levels! I completely amazed myself with my endurance during the training. If you would have told me the year prior that I would be training others to learn a form of physical fitness, I would have never believed you. Now I find so much satisfaction in teaching others Hoopnotica! I love that my classes are filled with joy and laughter; and teaches people that exercise does not have to be traditional or boring. Name: Erin Age: 37 City: Minotola, NJ Occupation: Hoopnotica Instructor Height: 5’6’’ Past Weight: 230 lbs Current Weight: 160 lbs

 “I encourage everyone to seek out a Hoopnotica class and give it a try. Hooping offers something for everyone.” I have been overweight my entire life... I cannot remember a time when my weight was ever considered healthy. Being in my early thirties and obese was not just affecting my self-image - it was affecting my health. My cholesterol and blood pressure needed to be controlled by medication. My health was seriously at risk. I had tried several diets over the years. Each time looking for that magic cure...that simple remedy to burn away the fat. Nothing seemed to work. One day I just decided that enough was enough. I was going to lose the weight. It wasn’t easy. It took a lot of hard work and I had to make a few lifestyle changes. I ate a balanced diet, paying close attention to the portion sizes of my food. I also made sure to exercise daily; burning more calories each day than I was eating. What I have gained is worth it. So far I have lost 80 pounds and kept the weight off. My cholesterol and blood pressure are now in a normal, healthy range. I have more energy than ever before. I now enjoy, and look forward to, exercising. There was no secret, no magic, no shortcuts. It took a balanced diet, plenty of exercise, and a desire to get rid of all the excuses standing in the way of me achieving my goal. Seeing and feeling my body change has helped keep me motivated. Tim's Hoop Journey For me, a healthy lifestyle is a combination of a balanced diet and plenty of exercise. When I first decided to live a healthier life, the only exercise I did was on the elliptical machine at the gym. It wasn’t fun, but I was able to burn enough calories that, when combined with a balanced diet, helped the weight come off. Once I started to lose weight I began to feel better (physically and emotionally). I wanted to find more ways to move my body. The elliptical machine was no longer enough for my new found energy and excitement. So I got into running. It took me outside, exploring some beautiful local parks surrounded by nature and fresh air. I ran my first 5k race; finishing in 24 minutes 27 seconds; first place for men in my age group! Overall I was the 23rd person to cross the finish line out of a total of 168 runners. I felt unstoppable. I wanted to find other ways to challenge my body and stay active. That’s when I stumbled across hooping for fitness. One day I read about a local woman who lost 140 pounds and her husband who lost over 100 pounds. This couple was Hoopnotica Master Trainer Jen Moore and her husband Keith. I’m always looking for new ways to exercise and they taught several Hoopnotica classes around town. I was a little apprehensive at first, but curiosity was too strong. I thought, “why not?” and signed up for their class. I remember my first class very well, I was so nervous. What if I can’t keep the hoop up? This is so silly! I’m the only guy taking this class! Then Jen walked into the room. She introduced herself to us, shared her inspiring story and her personality put me at ease. I had no problem keeping the hoop up. Jen noticed me and asked, “You’ve done this before, haven’t you?” “No”, I replied, “this is my first time”. She told me I was a natural hooper. Sure, I dropped the hoop several times, but I was having so much fun, I didn’t care. Wait, I was exercising AND having fun? Yes, I was laughing, making friends with others in the class and burning calories at the same time. I was hooked! I couldn’t wait for the next class. I fell in love with hooping. I purchased my own hoop so that I could hoop whenever and wherever I wanted. Hooping allowed me to move my body in new ways. I felt more confident in myself and what my body could do. I was achieving things that I thought were impossible. I sometimes think back to the doubts I had about taking Jen’s hoop class. I’m glad I took a chance. My life is so much better for it. Hooping keeps me active. I may not always be able to get to the gym or to the park to run, but I can always hoop, even if it’s just in my living room.  Hoopnotica has added so much to my life. Hooping has become a great addition to my healthy lifestyle. It has helped me feel more comfortable in my body. It feels more like playing than exercise. I have so much fun each time I step into my hoop. I love how hooping constantly challenges my body. There are always new moves to master. This provides me plenty of opportunity to get a full-body work out, strengthen my coordination and just get out and have fun! Hoopnotica classes have opened me up to a whole community of people who share my passion and enthusiasm for the hoop. I love the variety of hoopers out there. Some enter the hoop for fitness, some for dance, and some to connect their mind, body and soul. The variety of reasons why people hoop is proof of the versatility of this activity. Each time I enter the hoop, it is a unique experience. Sometimes I hoop to burn calories. Sometimes I hoop to lose myself in meditative movement as the hoop rotates around my body. Then there are times when I turn up the music and feel like a rock star in my hoop. The only requirement to hoop is a desire to do so. That desire will fuel your hooping as you build up the muscle memory that will keep the hoop off the floor and around your waist. My advice to anyone who is thinking about giving hooping a try is this; get used to the sound of your hoop hitting the floor. That isn’t the sound of failure. It’s the sound of success. You’re succeeding in trying something new. You’re succeeding in pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. You’re succeeding in building that muscle memory that will help you keep the hoop up longer as you continue to grow as a hooper. Besides, having to bend over and pick up the hoop each time it falls burns calories too. Even when you think you’re failing, you’re still succeeding in getting exercise - laughing the entire time. You just can’t lose! Hooping has allowed me to maintain a healthy weight, meet amazing people, and continually challenges what I think is possible for myself. I encourage everyone to seek out a Hoopnotica class and give it a try. Hooping offers something for everyone.

"Go from BEFORE to AFTER."

Name: Timothy Age: 32 City: Rochester, NY Occupation: Computer Technician Height: 5’6’’ Past Weight: 222 lbs Current Weight: 142 lbs

“I wanted so badly to be a positive and healthy role model for my beautiful young daughter.” My husband Keith and I were seriously overweight most of lives.  We became morbidly obese following our wedding in 2001.  We maintained unhealthy eating habits, and ate to cope with a wide range of emotions. At our heaviest, we weighed nearly 300 pounds each. In September 2009, while at a local amusement park with my four-year-old daughter, I was publically asked to get off a ride, because I was unable to secure the safety bar over my protruding stomach.  Humiliated, I lead my daughter to another ride, only to be called a “fat cow” by the teenage ferris wheel operator. Enough was enough! I was tired of being taunted and discriminated against because of my weight. I wanted so badly to be a positive and healthy role model for my beautiful young daughter.  That day, I pledged to return to the theme park with my child the following year—this time as the healthier, slimmer, hot mama! The task seemed daunting, especially because Keith and I had made some serious attempts to lose weight in the past, without success.  I randomly enrolled in a one-time hooping class near my house.  Intrigued, I sought out further training, but when I couldn’t find any other classes in my area, I decided to order the Hoopnotica Level 1 instructional DVD. I began hooping with Hoopnotica about 15 minutes a day during “open gym” at the YMCA.  I would stake out a little corner to hoop in on the court while the guys played basketball and snickered.  It took me over two weeks just to be able to keep the hoop spinning around my waist, but from day one, I felt a tremendous difference in my core strength, confidence and energy just from the workout involved in dropping, bending over and picking up the hoop. Committing to Hoopnotica as a couple Two months later, I began to master some tricks and lost a significant chunk of  weight. Impressed by my preliminary results, as well as all of the fun I was having, my somewhat skeptical husband, Keith, decided to teach himself to hoop as well with the Hoopnotica DVD.  Keith didn’t initially see his weight as much of an issue. He boasted that he only needed to lose 20 lbs to look fit again, however when he soon reached his goal of 280, he couldn’t even tell the difference—he had so much more weight to lose! From this moment on, Keith and I committed to helping each other lose major poundage by practicing Hoopnotica and making simple lifestyle changes.  We increased our workouts to 30 minutes of hoop time a day, and within a year lost nearly 150 pounds each! Hooping together has really helped us to maintain our weight loss commitment; we have so much fun doing it, and it’s great having a partner to help with the troubleshooting of more complex moves, i.e. jump-ins, duck-outs, not to mention it provides a healthy dose of spousal competition! “The best $60 we’ve ever spent!” At a current weight of about 145 lbs, I am now a full time certified Hoopnotica instructor of levels 1 and 2, often teaching up to six classes a day!  Keith became a group fitness instructor and personal trainer.  Our lifestyle changes literally translated to our livelihoods by allowing us to create our own business.  This would not have been possible without Hoopnotica.  When I bought my first hoop, and Hoopnotica DVD for $60 in 2009, Keith had recently been laid off, and I was a stay at home mom.  What seemed at the time like a frivolous purchase was in the end the best $60 we’ve ever spent! (We’ve since seen a return on that $60 X 10,000+!) My weight loss and return to health through hooping has given me the confidence to manifest success in many other areas of my life. I needed this confidence so badly!  I needed to believe in myself. As a hoop instructor, I am proud to share the delight of hooping with my students, and hope that by equipping them with a hoop, I am playing a role in their personal empowerment as well. P.S. in case you’re wondering, I did return to that amusement park, and yes, I am a hot mama!

Name: Jen

Age: 31

City: Rochester, NY Occupation: Hoopnotica Instructor & Fitness trainer Height: 5’5’’ Past Weight: 288 lbs Current Weight: 145 lbs 

"Go from BEFORE to AFTER."

My Hoop Journey I always knew I was a bit chubby, but it didn’t stop me from feeling confident and engaging in the activities I loved. Shortly after having my first baby in 2004, at 5’0 and 160 pounds, I made a concerted effort to lose weight. On a whim I signed up for a beginning “hoopdance” class in Hollywood. Totally hooked, I took all of the classes I could find, however was discouraged by the scarcity of offerings, and the inconsistency in instruction. With the help of some great friends, and master trainers, I worked to unify and create a hooping curriculum that was methodical in instruction, easy to follow, fun and accessible to all. Hoopnotica was born from these efforts, and I lost 20 pounds over the course of the summer. I was thrilled about the changes in my body, and excited to share everything I know about Hooping with others. “How was it that I had the most fabulous weight loss tool at my fingertips (i.e. my hoop), and yet was not utilizing it??” Despite my newfound career as the CEO of a rapidly growing fitness company, I was still not hooping or eating healthy enough to make much of a difference in terms of my weight. All of the passion I had about hooping as an amazing source of cardiovascular, fat-burning FUN had taken a back seat to paperwork; research; phone calls, etc. I had become the stereotypical workaholic new mom, and my body was beginning to see the side effects. Instead of confronting the issue head on, I allowed other women to shine in my business- the taller, thinner, more glamorous performers. I felt embarassed of my body, and hid behind my job title, feeling inauthentic about my brand. It wasn’t until an early Hoopnotica launch in Japan, while filming a promotion with other master instructors, that I realized just how badly I felt about my body. The Japanese client took me aside at a photoshoot, and quite blatently informed me in limited English that I was too fat to be in the photos. “Too fat!” she exclaimed, while pointing at a proof with me in it. I was mortified. Here I was, head of a prominent fitness company, and unfit to represent my own brand. My first response was somewhere along the line of “What the ---?? Who do you think I am? I’m not gonna let you treat me this way- I am going home”. Luckily, I was able to calm myself and understand that this wasn’t anything personal. I was simply unfit to represent a fitness brand. The Last Straw I trekked off to India for a meditation retreat. While sitting in “Lotus” position, looking out upon the magnificent Golden Temple in Armritzar at dawn, I was suddenly struck with the sensation that I was too heavy to get up. Indeed, when the meditation was complete, while the others bolted to breakfast, I struggled to merely lift my self off the mosaic laden floor. I rocked a bit back and forth, and felt my rolls press into my chest. OMG- I couldn’t breathe. I pulled myself up, one knee down first...and kinda rolled onto my hip for leverage. This was rediculous! Something shifted deep inside me. I was too uncomfortable in my own skin that day, and something was going to need to change. Determination Back in L.A., I formulated a simple plan. I firmly committed to hooping just 15 minutes, twice a day, as an experiment to see what would happen if I practiced what Hoopnotica preached. I knew that my eating habits were going to play an important role, and so I found an eating plan that I thought would work for me. I decided that “which plan I chose” meant nothing- it was more important to stick to the plan, and practice self-discipline. Committing to a daily Hoopnotica practice I started the blog, "The Daily Hooper", in order to document my weight loss with hooping. Blogs are amazing, because in connecting with your readers, you also become accountable to them! No slacking off allowed! I think ultimately, I was finally able to commit to losing weight because of the ease and fun involved in hooping with Hoopnotica. The truth is that traditional exercise bores me. My mind wanders. I’m quick to lose interest. Part of what I hope to encourage with the promotion of Hoopnotica is the idea that working out doesn’t have to mean the kind of sweat, pain, and mind-numbingly dull drudgery that traditional exercise has become. Getting fit CAN be playful and fun! I lost an average 2-3 pounds per week. I felt great, and was amazed by the shapely, slimmer figure that began to emerge. Creating a plan and sticking to it, adding a layer of accountability and not giving up was changing my whole world. It wasn’t long before I went from behind the camera to right in front of it. Since my whopping 60 pound weight loss, I’ve been featured in countless media outlets including hooping appearances on both Dr. Oz and Access Hollywood, in Forbes, and even hooped on stage with the Roots and Pretty Lights. Recently, Olivia Wilde asked me (and my hoops!) to be in the short film, “Free Hugs,” which she wrote and directed. Learning that weight loss is not impossible taught me that I can have anything I want in life. I feel stronger and more in control of everything as a result. I am a better mother; a stronger partner; and a more reliable friend as a result of the changes I made in my life. But more than anything else, I have found that my simple hoop is a tool that helps me control my weight; manage my stress; connect with my friends; and feel like a rock star. What else could I possibly need out of life?

Name: Gabriella

Age: 34

City: Venice, CA Occupation: Founder of Hoopnotica Height: 5’ Past Weight: 185 lbs Current Weight: 125 lbs 

"Go from BEFORE to AFTER."