Beach Booty Camp

How to Keep That Beach Bod into Fall

By Cassandra Bernard

Samantha Thorpe is a certified beach babe, but don’t expect to find this bronzed goddess just lying on the beach, soaking up the sun.  Instead you’ll find her working out while she’s working on her tan.

Thorpe is the mastermind behind Beach Booty Camp – a fun, yet intense boot camp that has participants working on their fitness at the beach.  Strictly for women of all shapes and sizes, Thorpe has designed a workout that aims to build confidence and transform the body using body weight exercises based on time limits and plyometrics.  That may sound pretty intimidating to a first-timer who’s only experience on the beach was figuring out how to get from the beach towel to the water without anyone seeing the cottage cheese dimples on her thighs, but Thorpe teaches by example and works out with her participants to ensure they get the most out of her classes.

“Fitness should be fun,” says Thorpe.  “I believe one hundred percent in motivation by demonstration.  I feel people should go to my class if they want to see an instructor who not only practices what they preach, but does the workout along with the participants.  I do not believe in barking orders without showing that I can do these workouts as well, and I don’t expect anyone to suffer through something I myself can’t perform.”

Thorpe speaks from experience.  When a back injury forced her to permanently withdraw from competitive sports, her only option to stay fit was to head to the gym.  Not knowing the proper training techniques, she turned to trainers for help only to realize that the people she turned to ‘didn’t really have a clue either.’  After finding the right fit for her fitness needs – personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder Josh Rioux – Thorpe started learning how to train correctly and how to change her eating habits.  She soon found herself training to compete in fitness competitions and credits being in the best shape of her life to the proper training she received from Rioux.   She’s now paying it forward by helping others achieve their fitness goals through Beach Booty Camp.

So what do her fellow Booty campers think of her classes?  “The feedback we’ve been getting from the classes is great.  The general consensus is that the class is challenging but still doable, which encourages the gals to come back and beat their previous personal goals.”

A huge benefit to working outside (besides the sunshine and the scenery) is working out in the sand.  “It challenges the lower body stabilizers and increases the amount of calories burned.  Working out on an uneven surface like sand challenges the core as well as the lower extremities, giving the muscles a “burn” they wouldn’t otherwise feel on a solid even surface.”  Besides, says Thorpe, what could be better than being with great people, getting in shape, hearing the waves of the ocean and getting a tan?

As her summer session wraps up, Thorpe is planning to hold a Fall Beach Booty Camp starting early to mid September.  This way, Islanders looking to keep their sexy summer bodies in top condition can keep working out on the beach and extend that summer feeling just a little longer.  For those looking to keep that beach booty after summer, Thorpe recommends staying hydrated with plenty of water and maintaining a balanced diet.  “Diet is eighty percent of staying in shape, and will keep you energized and going strong into the fall season.”

To find out more about Samantha and how you can get your beach bod all year long, visit togetherfit.ca

Cassandra Bernard grew up in Borden, but don’t hold that against her.  She hopes to one day be the editor of a hip magazine, but until then, she’ll settle for writing for one.

How to Keep That Beach Bod into Fall By Cassandra Bernard Samantha Thorpe is a certified beach babe, but don’t expect to find this bronzed goddess just lying on the beach, soaking up the sun.  Instead you’ll find her working out while she’s working on her tan. Thorpe is the mastermind behind Beach Booty Camp [...]

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Trevor Boris: A Stand-Up Kind of Guy

On-air MuchMusic TV personality Trevor Boris is used to getting recognized.  Recognized, that is, by 15 year-old girls.

“I’m the Hannah Montana of Canada!’ jokes Boris as a group of teenage girls swarm him for autographs, pictures and hugs.  Boris, who is one of the stars of MuchMusic’s runaway hit Video On Trial, recently made his way to Charlottetown to host the OH Canada! Dance Party at the Delta Prince Edward on Canada Day.  By some random act of knowing so-and-so who knows so-and-so, I was lucky enough to sit down with the VOT star for an impromptu interview at the Charlottetown waterfront.   Yes, teenage girls and boys, be jealous.  Trevor Boris is just as funny off camera as he is on.

What’s the dish on the Video on Trial cast?  What’s the deal with Boomer?

Fortunately, he’s not at all like that.  His real name is actually Jeff and he’s kind of a character – super, super nice guy, totally not at all like he is on TV.  He’s a good buddy of mine.  That’s the nice thing for me is that people like Debra (DiGiovanni), Sabrina (Jalees) and Nikki (Payne) were all super close friends of mine before the show, so it worked out that we get to work together a lot.  I was really lucky that the main cast – we were already friends before.

We’re in our 53rd season – can you believe that?  Actually, it’s been five years, which is a long time for a channel like MuchMusic where shows usually turnaround so quickly.  It’s the highest rated show in the history of the channel.

Your new DVD ‘Trevor Boris: Over Easy’ is currently on sale in stores everywhere.  What can your fans expect to find on your DVD?

I did a full hour show in Vancouver last year.  I’m actually the first Canadian comic to get signed to a major label.  I got signed to Warner Music; I’m on Madonna’s label, so I can’t wait for the Christmas party.  I’ve been doing stand-up comedy for eleven years so it’s kind of a pay off for all of that.  There’s an hour and half of bonus stuff that’s really cool.  Normally on stand-up DVDs there’s no bonus material, so I did Q & A with the crowd afterwards, I did a short film – a little mockumentary of the day in the life of Much Music, there are cameos of Ben Mulroney, and Tim Deegan so it’s actually really fun and I’m really proud of it.  I’m doing this thing that if you buy my DVD, you can sign up to have me call you, so I will be personally phoning everyone who buys my DVD so that’s been kind of interesting as well.

How has your career in stand-up comedy helped you get to where you are today?

Stand-up has always opened a lot of doors for me.  I’ve done a lot of writing – I’ve written the Juno awards for a couple of years, I write the MMVAs every year, I’ve written the Genies, the Geminis, I’m also a producer at Much Music; I’ve been there full-time for a couple of years, so I produce Video on Trial as well.  And it’s all been through stand-up that these doors have opened up.  It’s given me a lot of opportunities.

A lot of people you see on TV, whether their producers or writers, they usually get their start in stand-up; it’s kind of this great calling card.  It’s a great way to get people to see who you are.

One of the biggest goals in my life is happening in two weeks; I’m doing a gala for Just For Laughs in Montreal and my host is Pam Anderson.   I’m pretty excited for that.  (Editor’s note:  Trevor Boris’s Just for Laughs gala has been taped and will be televised on CBC in 2011.)

Who are your biggest career influences?

There are a lot of people I look up to but I don’t feel that I’m influenced by anyone.  Maybe starting out, you’re kind of influenced by the people you look up to, but then you end up finding your own voice and what works for you.  In a sense, I’m influenced by everyone I work with; I’m proud to be amongst a lot of really cool Canadian comics.  But indirectly, I kind of do my own thing and it works for me.

What are some of your most interesting moments from the Much Music Video Awards?

I’ve been lucky to have been in skits with Mike Myers and The Jonas Brothers.  This year was really cool because Miley Cyrus hosted it and we had the ‘Biebs’ there.  It was interesting having Justin Bieber there– you couldn’t have candy around him as a rule; we had to keep candy away from his dressing room.  He’s a big fan of Video on Trial – he said that and then I screamed like a girl.  He’s like a 16 year old boy and I’m like ‘Oh my God!  Justin Bieber loves me!  He knows who I am!’
I feel like they’re giving him anti-growth hormones though, so he’ll never grow.  Some sixteen year olds already look like men, but he still looks like an infant.   He’s so tiny!

Has there ever been a celebrity you were starstruck to meet?

I got to cover the Olympics for Much Music, and I got to meet hockey player Matt Sundin.  I was really excited to meet him.  I guess when he was younger, people used to say that when he was younger and I was younger we used to look alike.  And so, people would post that all over the Internet, and I told him ‘Oh, people think we used to look alike.” And he’s like ‘Ok, thanks buddy’ and then he walked away.

I do get really excited to meet so many new people, but then it fades.  A week later I’m like, whatever, they’re all just people.  That’s why it’s so bizarre to me to see people get that way about me – it’s very bizarre.  It’s hard to get used to something like that.  You get used to it, but it’s weird to come to cities you’ve never been before and everybody knows who you are.

Is there anything you wish you could do more of on TV?

I wish I could do more nude scenes; I’m really trying to get into porn.  I think I’m too old for porn, though;  I’d have to get peed on.  Seriously though, I’ve done some stuff; there’s a show called The Latest Buzz on the Family Channel.  I’ve done the odd thing, but I’ll never be a dramatic actor.  I think I’m more of a personality, like a host, so whenever I’m cast for something, it tends to be that I play myself.  My character on one episode was called Boris, so really, it was pretty much me.  I feel like people don’t trust me as an actor.

On-air MuchMusic TV personality Trevor Boris is used to getting recognized.  Recognized, that is, by 15 year-old girls. “I’m the Hannah Montana of Canada!’ jokes Boris as a group of teenage girls swarm him for autographs, pictures and hugs.  Boris, who is one of the stars of MuchMusic’s runaway hit Video On Trial, recently made [...]

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G! Eats (August 2010)

Go West:  Calling all Seafood Lovers!

Living the seafood dream in North Cape

By Ellen Egan

Summer might be winding down (not to dwell on the obvious), but it’s not too late to take a few quick road trips here and there.  All you need is the right recipe: a wide open evening, juiced up iPod, full tank of gas, and someone who loves food just as much as you do.

Check, check, check… and check.  “Up west” to Wind & Reef Restaurant we go.

Upon arriving in the wee town of Tignish, it became apparent that the restaurant wouldn’t suddenly pop out of nowhere as I had originally assumed.  So, I dropped into a gas station (as any non-male would do), and after a local pointed me in the right direction and said we’d fall off the end of PEI if we drove past it, off we went.

Once I got over the novelty of the windmills along the windy road, it was time to focus on our true purpose: food.

We were impressed from the very beginning.  Arriving at sunset, the place was hopping outside with tourists taking photos, couples walking the trail, and kids scampering about.

Inside, the scene was actually picture-perfect (so much so that I abandoned my dinner partner for a bit to take something like fifty obnoxious tourist photos).  And, seated right by a window, we were able to look out at the ocean as the setting sun painted it every colour you can imagine.

That was just the beginning.

Our server had that friendly ease about her that only comes from living in a place so charming.  After she recommended we share the “Lightkeeper’s Platter” (for only $32), the anticipation nearly killed us.  Thank God for the lobster bibs to catch any mouth-watering action.

Get this: a cup of chowder (with a delicious roll), 2 lbs of mussels, (2) oysters, (1) 4 oz. deep-fried haddock, (5) pan-fried scallops, (4) fan-tail shrimp, (1) 12-14 oz. steamed cracked whole PEI lobster, accompanied by your choice of starch.

Oh my lanta.

Needless to say, it was delicious.  And they didn’t skimp out on a single thing (you just never know).  We devoured until our bellies blatantly refused any more food.

After being basically forklifted out of the restaurant, we headed back to town.  And although we realized on the way home we probably could have made it all the way to Moncton and back in the same amount of time, it was totally worth the ride and the puffy eyes that kindly accompanied me to work the next morning.

So, the next time you have a free evening, or better yet a whole day, put on your adventurous hat and take a trip up. I’ll even bet you half a tank of gas on it.

No actual bets, please and thanks.

Happy Eating!

What’s that growling noise?  That would be your stomach.  You can thank Ellen Egan for that.  When she’s not noshing and writing, Ellen splits her creative juices as a Communications Officer between Versatile Management Group and the QEH Foundation.

Go West:  Calling all Seafood Lovers! Living the seafood dream in North Cape By Ellen Egan Summer might be winding down (not to dwell on the obvious), but it’s not too late to take a few quick road trips here and there.  All you need is the right recipe: a wide open evening, juiced up [...]

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