Fitness

As an exercise enthusiasts I love to try new places and new types of workouts, as you are well aware from this past post here and here.  It is so important to me to live a healthy, active lifestyle and by doing so I enjoy all different forms of exercise. Changing your workout keeps exercise fresh, fun, and exciting! It is good for your body to target different muscle groups and most importantly keep yourself from getting bored. When I lived in New York it seemed like one of the biggest questions asked was “where do you work out?.”  Everyone seemed to be part of some cult and obsessed with a certain workout. My obsession was with Soul Cycle (tears are falling right now as I no longer live near one). Now that I am currently living back in Ohio I have to find new ways to workout and fall in love with new places. Luckily I have done so and am happy to share with you my experience so far!

System of Strength 
I drank the cool-aid and I am officially addicted!! Not surprising since I love to lift weights. System of Strength is exactly what it says, it’s about your strength. Each time I go to a class I feel so motivated and am pushed way beyond my limits physically and mentally. When it’s the end of class and the instructor yells to do one more set of burpees and I think there is no way my hurting body is capable of doing it,  I somehow manage to push through them. I always leave SOS feeling proud of what I  just accomplished! The best part of SOS is there are 7 different classes you can choose from. As I said before it is important to change up your routine so you target different areas, this is a great way to do so! Here are the classes broken down:
High and Tight: One of my favorites! It focuses on smaller muscle groups of your body to tighten and tone. This is done by using smaller weights with higher repetitions. Do not let the small weights fool you, you will leave the class feeling like jello and in a good way!
Flex and Flow: Just like yoga but with weights. You are stretching and strengthening your muscle groups at the same time. It is so important to stretch your muscles if you are lifting lots of weights. The class is done in 90 degree heat.
Control: This class gives you strength like you’ve never thought you had! Using higher weights, Control targets your bigger muscle groups while doing eccentric and isometric movements. 
Control Course: Focuses the same muscle groups as the Control class but within a course. Whether you are using sandbags, ropes, plyo box or weights, each station is set up to target different areas. 
Clocked: All about cardio intervals! Using different weights and equipment, this class is designed to really get your heart pumping and burn lots of calories. 
Asphalt Kickin: Taking SOS to another location and outdoors! Enjoy your workout at a track or field using mother nature or stairs to get your body moving. 
In The Mix: This has become one of my favorites! Combining all of the classes into one, In The Mix is a great well-rounded workout.  Using small and big weights while incorporating cardio, movements are done in intervals.
Since I have started going to System of Strength I have really seen a difference in my body. I am a lot stronger and leaner and have more energy throughout my day. As a new favorite of mine (also my sister and cousin love it too), I can not say enough amazing things about SOS!
Biking
A perk of being a part of funemployment is I get to spend all day long working out! I call it my two-a-days. In the morning I either go to SOS, Yoga, or some other form of exercise, and my evenings are spent riding bikes with my dad. This August we are riding 50 miles in the Pelotonia, a race to help raise money for cancer research.  We train 4 to 5 times a week for about an hour or so. It has been a great way to enjoy the outdoors, spend time with my dad, get a new form of exercise in, and pretend I am still taking Soul Cycle classes. Side note: do not try to show off and use Soul Cycle movements on a non-stationary bike, it does not end well….. Anyway, biking has been a great and healthy way for me to end my day! 
If you would like to help raise money to fight cancer, please visit this link here! Any amount of donation counts! 
Thank Yoga
I have talked before about how much I think yoga is so important in everyones workout routine. It really will strengthen you physically, emotionally, and mentally. There has been plenty of times I go to yoga strictly to reset my mentality. I have been practicing for many years and am pretty flexible, so some yoga classes can become mundane. Going to Thank Yoga has been a different experience for me in my practice.  Each class I have tried something I never thought my body was capable of, including a forearm handstand! The reason Thank Yoga is different from other classes I have taken is because of the physicality and the positive atmosphere all incorporated into one class. The music is pretty great as well!
Wonder what I look like while I exercise? Here is a little video I made of myself at the gym…

Saved By The Bell: Jesse & The Sundaes from Good Kids. on Vimeo.

All jokes aside I actually do know all of the movements to this video! 

I have said it before and I will say it again, healthy is happy! In order to have a happy life you must live a healthy lifestyle. You must stay active, eat whole foods, and take care of your mind and body. For me I clean eat (paleo lifestyle), exercise, and meditate. I have always been a pretty healthy eater and an active person, but it was not until I read the The Body Book by Cameron Diaz that I really kicked my health into gear. It completely revolutionized my perception on health, fitness, and happiness. I can honestly say the more I take care of myself, eat right and exercise, the happier I am.

In the book she talks about how we are what we eat. If you are constantly eating processed foods, pizza, soda, and sweets, you are not giving your body the right nutrients and energy to function. You are actually doing damage to your body! It does not matter how much time you spend in the gym, your body will eventually reflect the foods you are fueling yourself with. It will reflect in your behavior, your relationships, your mood, your skin and hair, your insides, etc. The book is not a diet plan nor does it tell you to eat less (I actually eat more now), it is a change of lifestyle. The book is a great reminder of how taking care of your body really does matter and teaches you to try to make the right decisions. I say try because we are all humans and sometimes the cookie is hard to say no to :).

The book goes through the science of eating the right foods for your body, how moving and exercise is about how we feel, what our body is made of and how it functions, staying discipline to achieve our goals, and being happy with who you are.  I highly recommend this book to everyone!  Even to my male friends–warning there is an entire chapter on lady situations, but at least read it to inform yourself on eating nutritious whole foods and to motivate yourself to get out there and move! Living the healthiest lifestyle you possibly can really will result in the happiest life. Being healthy is being happy!

Incase you missed my previous post on my favorite workouts here it is!

Here is the truth, I love to work out! Yes you heard correctly. Exercise makes me happy! It inspires me to be a better person and leaves me feeling proud of what I just accomplished. I get up everyday excited for whatever workout is in store for the day. I think you get the picture now ; ) I truly believe being healthy makes you happy!

Since I love to move and sweat, I always try to encourage my friends and family to get fit. If you are only into stretching your limbs at yoga or lifting weights at crossfit or shaking your booty at zumba, as long as you are working to better yourself, better your body and mind, it does not matter just MOVE! For me, I need to switch up my workout routines, this way I do not get bored or feel stuck in a rut. Here are some of my favorite workout classes. Hopefully one will inspire you to get up off the couch and try something new.
Pure Barre, my home away from home. I grew up dancing so naturally Pure Barre was love at first sight. It’s a 55 minute full-body workout where you lift, tone and burn by using weights, a ball, a band, and of course the barre. The movements are small which may have you thinking “this will be easy!”, but believe me when I say your muscles will shake the ENTIRE TIME! Do not believe me– read this hilarious article of a man who tried Pure Barre. 
Last week was my very first Barry’s Bootcamp class and boy was it a tough but good one ! It’s an hour long class where you split into two groups. One group starts on the treadmill while the other group is on the floor. You are at your designated station for about 15 minutes then you switch and then switch again (you do each station twice). On the treadmill you walk, jog, and sprint all on an incline.  The floor section is different everyday targeting certain areas–my class was full-body. Barry’s is a great workout and I highly encourage trying it, especially if you want to get into shape. I did much better than I thought I would. The whole time I was thanking god I normally lift and run otherwise I would have died early. I left Barry’s feeling so proud of myself– and that my friends is a result of a fantastic workout!
Oh Soul Cycle, I and love and you! My favorite workout by far! This is the one class I will harass you to take! It’s fun, it’s inspirational, it’s tough! It’s not your typical spin class, it’s your cool spin class. You ride to the beat of the song, do some fun workout dance moves, tap it back a bunch of times, and lift weights. Yep you lift weights while spinning! Not only is Soul Cycle a great workout it’s also very inspiring! The teachers are amazing and are always encouraging us to let things go, forgive and forget, love your body, and find your soul. I can’t say enough amazing things about Soul Cycle, it really has done so much for me physically, mentally and emotionally. 
Fitsugar via
Yoga is necessary for me. My body and mind would not be the same without yoga. It calms, strengthens, challenges, and improves me. I highly suggest taking at least one yoga class a week. With all the lifting and running you do, you need to let your muscles breath and to keep them healthy by stretching. If you are discouraged by the yogi’s who contort themselves in ungodly positions that make you and I feel uncomfortable, I suggest practicing through this website Yogaglo.com. You pick the duration, level, and type of class you want. I find it very beneficial if I do not have time to go to the gym. I can really feel it in my body if I have not taken a yoga class in a while. Yoga is like drinking water. You have to have it in order to function. If the other classes seem too extreme or not the right fit for you, yoga is always the answer!
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