workin on my fitness

technically, my apartment complex has a gym,

however, 

the tv's are broken,

only 1 treadmill is in working order,

and i'm not sure if the free weights have ever been cleaned.

since i'd rather spend a little extra money decorating for fall and shopping for new sweaters, i found an alternative solution to pricey gym memberships.

i'm sure the first thing that pops into your head when someone says workout video is one of the following:

russell simmons

leotards

sweatbands

let's get physical, physical!

don't be afraid,

there are so many dvds that are PERFECT for working out in an apartment, you just need to find the one that fits you best. 

before you invest in a lot of dvds you may or may not love, check out your local library, or even youtube and netflix.  they have tons of great ones you can try out before you make the investment. a few of my favorite youtube channels are blogilates & livestrong woman. 

as an Apartment Guide Blog Partner, i will be sharing ideas on how to work out in your apartment.

here are a few things to think about when choosing your best fit:

1. it requires a minimal amount of equipment.

look for a dvd that focuses on body weight training, which means you don't need a full set of dumbbells to get a good work out in.

2.  it is low impact.

low impact does not equal an easy work out.  it just means you won't have to worry about your downstairs neighbors complaining about a herd of elephants living above them. 

3. look for variety.

find a work out that keeps you engaged.  since you're in your apartment, it's easy to just turn off the tv and walk away. you have to be self-motivated. so pick a workout that's fun for you!

my fit is jillian michaels.

and i know it's hard to see, but i also have a non-jillian dvd in there. 

it's called fit body yoga.

it's the bomb.com.

it's my go-to-i-need-to-stretch-so-bad-but-can't-afford-a-yoga-class workout.

you only need a few things for your equipment stash:
1. an yoga or exercise mat.  

since i have wooden floors, this is a must!

one time, i had to use a towel, and it was a disaster. i was sliding all over the place. 

2. 2-3 sets of dumbbells.
i have a set of 5 lbs and a set of 8 lbs. these are great because they are coated in rubber, so they won't scratch up your floors and they won't slip out of your hands if you get sweaty.
#sweatygirlproblems
3. exercise bands.
these take up absolutely no space and they can be used in stretching and resistance training. overall, they are a must have for your equipment stash.

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hallelujah for friday!

1. i found this ceramic leaf in the dollar section at target, and i have officially designated it as our key home. :)

2. the great apple sauce debate: cinnamon vs. original. bub-hub and i are on opposite sides. you decide. 

3. i finally downloaded the new taylor swift singles. i may or may not have listened to them almost 100 times already. #noshame

4. every wednesday, outside city hall, there is a fantastic farmers market. it's food truck heaven. this week, i caved and got the most yummy carrot cake cupcake i've ever consumed. mmmmmmmmm good.

5. i have officially completed the first month of insanity! 

i'm so glad it's recovery week.

i can feel myself getting stronger, i feel more energized. but it's still killing me.

i'm thinking about repeating the first month again before jumping in to the max-insanity phase. 

last, but not least,

this weekend, i'm off to celebrate the marriage of this beautiful lady:

she is going to be the most beautiful bride.

i've been practicing my wobble...and my YMCA.

it's time to celebrate! 

happy friday friends!

insanity & the 24 day challenge: Day 0

as i confessed on friday,

i've started the insane insanity challenge.

what was i thinking...

gotta get in shape for sweater & christmas cookie season! :)

plus, the bestie's wedding is just under 4 weeks away, so it's time to kick it into high gear!

[don't worry steph, my dress does fit, no last minute squeezing for me!]

reasons i chose insanity over other workout programs:

1. most honest reason,,,we had it at the apartment. 

bub-hub ordered it over a year ago during his tax internship, but he was so busy he never got around to finishing it.  so the box has basically been staring me down on my entertainment center for months. 

2. the workouts require no equipment, only your body weight, and it is heavy on the cardio, which i love.

3. it's a challenge, and who doesn't like a challenge?

in addition to insanity, i'm doing the advocare 24 day challenge [info here...].

you should definitely check it out and try it with me! :)

my goals for the next few weeks are not necessarily weight loss, but i want to gain energy and tone up.

i'm pretty much setting myself up for disaster extreme success...ahhhhh!

my brother told me that shaun-t will send you a t-shirt if you take a before and after photo...so here it goes!

do you have some advice on how to survive and thrive through insanity??

have you tried the 24 day challenge?

my obsession: pure barre! :)

ladies,
i have a little confession....
i'm obsessed with my new workout...pure barre!

i've talked about it so many times and i've gotten so many questions about it,

so i thought i'd share a little about pure barre with you all! :)

pure barre is a combination of pilates and dance that focuses on small isometric movements using tiny weights, a ball, and a ballet bar.  between each strength set, there is a stretching set which helps create long and lean muscles. 

the four strength sets focus on 4 key areas: arms, thighs, seat, and core

their key phrase is "lift, tone & burn",

and they own it.

instictively, you'd think that small movements have small results, but no....tiny movements are key. the smaller the movement, the bigger the results, the greater the burn. 

in one of my classes, the instructor encouragingly said "if your legs are shaking and you feel like you're about to fall, push through it, and sink a little lower."

heh...if you say so...

each workout is done in socks on a studio floor. they offer 2, 3 and 5 pound weights, which sounds like nothing, but i promise you, even using the 2 pound weights, your arms will be burning!

you don't have to be in great physical shape to start, but you have to be mentally prepared to work hard.  this is definitely not for the faint at heart. you have to be ready, willing, and prepared for a booty-busting working.



i love that pure barre is low impact. 

i have terrible joint problems and so many exercices like running or weight lifting, leave me in a lot of pain. on the other hand, low impact exercises, like yoga, leave me feeling like i didn't work hard at all. there is minimal cardio: there's no running around or jumping, it's is very low impact and easy on the joints.

i love that pure barre requires focus.

i've mentioned before that i'm making a big effort to slow down in life and focus on one thing at a time.  in pure barre, each exercise requires intense focus.  i get sucked in to making sure my hips are tucked and my shoulders are back, and that i'm doing each exercise correctly.  the instructors help correct your position and adjust to give you the best workout possible.

i love the results.
after one month of pure barre, i already feel stronger and can feel a difference in the way my clothes fit.



i'm not crazy about the price.

one weekend, my bestie told me about pure barre, and just like magic, the next monday morning, i got an email from Houston Tibits for a $50/month deal!meant-to-be!

so that was a great start. they have new-member deals, $100/month, $40/4 classes, but a standard rate of $165/month is a little steep for me. the bub-hub might have had a minor heart attack when i threw that out there in a casual convo.
oops.
needless to say, i might not be able to do it forever, but i'm going to enjoy it while it lasts! :)

i've completed my first month, and i can already feel a major difference. 

i wanted to find a video clip to show you guys, and the best i could find was this clip:

if you're interested in trying pure barre, i would definitely recommend checking out a class.
[purebarre]
also, i've noticed a lot of pilates studios offer barre type classes, but under a different name, so if you do some digging, i'm sure there is a class in your area! :)

they also have dvds, which i'm sure are great, but because the technique is so important, and it is so much easier to focus on your workout when you don't have any distractions around you, i'd recommend taking a few classes before making that investment.

what do you think??
would you be up for trying it out?

it's friday!! :)

today is a fabulous day.

not only is it friday,

but last night, gabby douglass won the gold for the women's all round
[woohoo!],

soni broke her own world record
[holla!!],

and i get to see my family today
[yay!]!! 

bub-hub and i are making the roadtrip up I-45 to the beautiful big-D,

and i am pumped!

we're pretty lucky to be from the same home town.

it makes trips back home twice as nice.

with so much to look forward to this weekend,
i had to find little things to distract me while i waited for the long days to pass.
luckily,
a few fantastic things happened this week.

1. super encouraging mid-day dove dark chocolate messages.
i usually rip into the chocolate too fast to make out the message,
but i've tried to practice self control and slow it down a bit.
trying to slow down seems to be a running theme in my life...hmm...coincidence??

2. fabulous, booty-busting workouts at pure barre.

i've just finished up my first month and i'm officially hooked.

3. my nectarine suffered a major injury in my lunch box.

poor thing didn't stand a chance being stuffed in a bag with an extra pair of shoes, notebooks and laptop.

what a tough [and super juicy!] little guy. 

4. i've been downing chobani like a champ.

i'm designating myself a chobani gold medalist.

watch out phelps, i'm coming for you.

5. this week, my music selections have been all over the place.

have you ever just put your ipod on shuffle and let it go?

i was way embarassed by what i had on there.
as a side note, 

on wednesday, i hear the usher song "scream" 6 times between driving to pure barre, during pure barre, and driving home from pure barre. 6 times people.

i love the song, 

but really. 

give pit bull a chance.