The End of a (Short) Era

Today marks the end of a short, but awesome era in my life…my current stint as a fitness instructor.  Though I’m sure I’ll be back, it will be somewhere new, with different people and after baby.

I started taking some classes when we moved here that were in formats that I was certified to teach, but hadn’t (I taught Insanity for about 2 months a while ago, but not TurboKick or PiYo).  I subbed for the instructor a few times.  And then, she moved.  So I got to take over those classes.  For the past 7 months, it has been both wonderful and a little stressful.  Adding 3 hours of classes, plus prepping, plus the extra energy of giving it your all some days when you don’t have it, was a welcome strain.  I always left feeling amazing!

Me after teaching TurboKick a month ago!

But, with moving (a traffic filled) 20+ miles away and being 29 weeks pregnant, it was time.  It’s been harder to show full moves.  I spent half of Wednesday night’s class talking them through the moves with terrible heart burn.  I’m constantly reminding them to do as I say, not as I do.  While my class participants are super supportive, I’m sure it’s starting to detract from their workout, if not only by being distracting.

So, this morning is my last PiYo class.  And then I’ll move on.  But I will take this experience with me as an amazing one and will use all the good feeling for it to get me started again after this kiddo arrives.  Because more than anything, I love to share the ways I fit fun in my fitness.  Sharing that with others is what I’m here to do.

If you want to try a class near you, look here for others…

Or hit up any of the home programs if you can’t make it to a class or prefer working out at home!

For Turbo Kick…

For PiYo:

For Insanity:

The original

Max Out in 30 Minutes

Hopefully, this means more posts though 🙂

See you soon!

Feeling Lucky!

Happy Monday folks!! I hope you’re starting off the week feeling motivated and ready to rock!

I started my day by changing up from the 21 Day Fix Extreme workouts as I finish out an extended round of the nutrition plan (24 days!).  I was working through Body Beast Lucky 7 , the workout that comes as a gift for ordering the Body Beast program through me , and I realized I hadn’t posted about this workout.

What is so great about this workout?  Try working your whole body in less than 25 minutes!  It’s a challenge, but it’s over!  The workout goes through 7 exercise pyramids, working each one up to 7 reps.  For an example, one is an upright row with a calf raise.  So you do an upright row, keep the bar up, raise on your toes.  Then you do 2 upright rows, keep the bar up, 2 calf raises.  Then 3, etc, up to 7.  With no rest in the exercise itself, just between the exercises.

Picking a good weight for these is tough, so go a little lighter than you think.  You’re basically doing 28 reps in each exercise with no reps!  I added on TurboFire HIIT 20 because I still had time after the quickie lifting!  That one has 7 (number of the day!) intense bursts of cardio work for under a minute each, then you recover and do another!  Here’s a sweaty post workout selfie for you!

Super fun morning workout with two of my favorite programs!  A great way to begin a Monday.

If you haven’t heard, I’m moving from New York to North Carolina in a few weeks!  So I’m clearing out my prize stash with an additional gift for any challenge packs (combining a program, 30 days of Shakeology and 30 days of the streaming workout membership!) purchased or if you decide to become a coach and help others in their fitness journey!  Want to chat about what will be your favorite workout or what being a coach do for your life?  Shoot me an email!

Are you new to exercise?

I posted a video the other day about something I love to tell people who are newer to exercising and want it to be fun…

A lot of the programs I have done are good for starting out as well…21 Day Fix is a great start – modifier, easy to follow nutrition plan, sets you up for success long term.  Where Turbo Jam differs is that I really can’t say it feels like a workout.  I tell people that Turbo is something I’d do even if it didn’t burn calories.  It’s my soul mate workout.  Just super fun.

I did two Turbo Jam videos this weekend – Ab Jam (20 minute mix of standing and floor abs) and Cardio Party 3 (50 minutes of kickboxing and smiling).  It was so much fun to let loose in my living room.  I do laugh with Shaun T, but not like this!

Ab Jam

Warrior Mode!

In addition to my December Challenge, I’ve started doing Les Mills Combat.  It is so much fun!  Let me tell you a story…

I started working out at a gym.  I took a lot of classes, including some great kickboxing classes.  They were mostly combination based, not a lot of drills, some used light bags and all were fun.  When I left the gym to work out at home (like now, I had little time to workout and getting to/from the gym was time I could use elsewhere), I found Turbo Jam.  It was also a lot of fun, but different.  The classes had been more fight based and more technical – not that form wasn’t important in both, but the moves were more traditional.  Turbo Jam was dancey and happy.  I looked forward to my workouts and found something I loved.

Now years later, I am working out at home mostly again.  I moved on to Turbo Fire, became a certified Turbo Kick instructor and still adore the workouts.  But!  I tried Combat.  It’s terrific.  So much like the workouts I used to do.  They make me feel strong and like I can take on anything.  I still haven’t made it through all of the workouts (just finished week 2 – I’m doing the Ultimate Warrior schedule) but it’s been fun.  I’m so glad I tried it.  You never know how much you’ll like something until you try!  I didn’t even realize how much I missed my old workouts.

There is still plenty of room for my Turbo workouts.  They are different, not better or worse.  Sometimes, I have too many fun workouts to choose from!  This is one of the reasons I like to use a schedule – without one I wouldn’t be able to choose between all of my favorites!

So…do you want to see a workout by workout review of Combat like I did for T25?  Let me know!

Black Friday Deals Start today!

Actually, right now! For a limited time only, get select Beachbody programs, equipment and supplements for the lowest price of the year!

Have you been waiting for a deal for some fitness products to keep you on track this holiday season?  Well, here you go!

There are so many great sales here…Turbo Fire (my favorite!!) to kill calories.  A free chin up bar with P90X or The Asylum.  A half price dance ab workout.  Tai Cheng…a great workout for stability.  Derm Exclusive skincare.  Equipment…you know I love my jump mat! Plus nutritional supplements…I’m jumping on the Energy and Endurance deal!

Contact me with any questions…always happy to chat!  Or click here if you know what you have your eye on 🙂

Breastfeeding and Exercise

So here will be MY experience.  I’m not a doctor, a lactation consultant, or any other medical professional.  I’m just a regular woman with a baby and boobs (pardon me).

Everyone asks about losing weight, breastfeeding and exercise.  No one really wants to know if it can be done.  The true question is “will it hurt my supply”, and the answer is maybe.  This “everyone” doesn’t include those who lose tons of weight by breastfeeding (many do) but the others who can not shed weight until after they wean.

You need extra calories to breastfeed so you shouldn’t diet to lose weight.  It’s good for you and your baby to eat good food and not be starving.  I count calories, but give myself 500 extra a day to accommodate breastfeeding, and don’t really worry if I go over.  I also eat any calories burned from exercise.  And that’s what this post is about.

At this point, I am doing Insanity.  I have also done TurboFire and LesMills Pump, along with some running and yoga.  These can be intense, and I started slowly and built up to the Insanity program.  I don’t think I could have handled that first for many reasons.  I find that I’m okay as long as I drink water and eat extra.  And by water, I mean a LOT of water.  I have dips in supply, but nothing that would be noticeable if I wasn’t working and pumping.  My baby always gets enough!  I’m losing weight slowly but surely.  Baby is gaining weight.  Everybody wins!

So, what exercise did you do before pregnancy (or during!)?  You can probably do it now, starting slowly and working your way up.  The important things for me have been to listen to my body, drink a lot of water, eat when hungry, and eat healthy foods.  If you feel it is too much or that your supply is taking a hit, adjust.  I’m serious on the water!  Cookies help too!

What has your experience been?  I’d love to hear your stories!

Happy Baby Workout

I tried the Happy Baby workout yesterday.  I expected it to be a easy sail along workout but it was tough!  We got through the first 18 minutes before Zoe got cranky, but I watched most of it.  I definitely felt my muscles working!  Zoe liked a lot of it, especially when I held her for knee raises, bumping her with my knee.  We will do it again and when we can do the full workout, I will write a full review.

One thing I like about the yoga workout I have over this workout is that it is broken up into 20 minute pieces that you can do separately or together.  It is hard to entertain Zoe with one task for very long and it seems 18-20 minutes is when she is done.  I know that this span will get longer as she gets older.

In other workout news, I decided to do Les Mills Pump next instead of ChaLEAN Extreme.  The only reason is that I haven’t done Pump before and I am so excited to check it out!  I will let you know what I think.  I bought it now and I think I’ll start in March.

I did some sewing today, but I’m not quite ready to share.  I need another trip to the store and a little more time to myself.  Stay tuned!

Workout Saturday – TurboFire Fire45 and Stretch 10
Workout Sunday – TurboFire Core20 and Stretch40
Workout today – TurboFire Fire55EZ

 

Skin is in!

Healthy skin, that is. Always in. I was a bit worried that my post-pregnancy experience with Derm Exclusive would not be as wonderful as during my pregnancy…how much was from pregnancy and how much was the skincare.

I have been terrible with taking care of my skin in the past two months. Many nights, especially before I was working out at night, I just wanted to go to bed and a lot of days I would put it off until I showered, and that would be at night! I’ve been so bad that this box of Derm Exclusive has been sitting there untouched since 12/31!

So we’re looking at no pregnancy “glow” and using the products sporadically on skin that was fairly terrible before pregnancy. And still excellent. I’m so happy with these products. I get complements on my skin even when I have had no sleep and am wearing no makeup. I couldn’t ask for better results!

I feel like I may be getting sick, so I had miso soup and sushi to try to kick it…along with lots of tea! I did core/yoga today and it was better than last time. Not great but better and that’s all I can do!

Workout yesterday – TurboFire Fire45EZ and Stretch10
Workout today – TurboFire Core20 and Stretch40

Hoping to Bounce Back

A bit over a week into my workouts and I’m amazed.  Amazed at how tough of a time I’m having.  I knew it would be different, but I guess I figured I would have kept at least some strength and flexibility with working out through my pregnancy.  I’m sure part of it is me being critical, but it’s hard.

I am physically bigger.  This makes just moving my body more difficult (but burns more calories!) and also means that sometimes I get in my own way.  I also have changed shape in many ways over the last year.  I sometimes still expect my pregnant belly to be there, still think my thighs and hips are smaller and still think I know what to do to be in balance.  But my belly is an entirely new shape, I have pounds distributed in new places and I don’t know how to balance this body easily.

I have a weaker core.  I haven’t worked my core directly since last March as even early on it made me nauseous.  This changes everything from actually doing abdominal work such as planks to jumps and other plyometrics or strength moves like push ups.

Today, I did two workouts that really showed this – TurboFire Core20 and Stretch40.  The stretch workout was like a yoga class and so much was harder than expected.  I have this on schedule once a week for the next 7 weeks and I will look back at this post, hopefully with improved strength and flexibility.

I know that I will not be the same, but that I will lose the weight and gain the strength.  I have done this before under different circumstances – first coming from being overweight all along and doing it all for the first time and now going from several hot yoga classes, being able to lift heavy and move with both grace and strength in my cardio to, well, not.   However I also have a good reason for this different body!  So that is a plus on the mental side.

I am coming at it as a happy challenge.  I look forward to the new changes and the fun workouts.  I will work to get my body back to the healthy person my brain remembers so I can be a healthy mother to my child.

Workout Friday – TurboFire Fire45EZ and Stretch10
Workout Saturday – TurboKick Round 50
Workout today – TurboFire Core20 and Stretch40

Good Measure

I took my measurements last night. I wouldn’t say I’m disappointed, but everything but my forearms increased. That’s okay though. I’m glad I have them as a starting off point…they’ll go down from here!

For me, taking measurements has been the best way to see results. The scale is so wonky sometimes…water, salt, time of day, etc all cause drastic changes. And your body composition can change with the scale being the same. I’d rather be smaller than lighter any day!

I also joined a diet bet with some friends for even more motivation yesterday.  You each bet a certain amount, and whoever reaches the group goal splits the pot (minus their fees) when the bet finishes. I can’t wait to see if I’ll win some money at the end.

Workout yesterday – ChaLEAN Extreme Burn Circuit 1
Workout today – TurboFire Fire45 and Stretch10