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My New Favorite Group Workout

For years, I thought that the only sign of a good workout was being drenched in sweat. I spent my time taking high-intensity workout classes, Bikram yoga or sprinting on the treadmill. When Bo and I would come home to Savannah for the holidays, instead of going on long walks with my mom or Mimi, my mother-in-law, I’d head to the gym or out for a run.

Since my mom is training to walk her first half marathon, the Publix Savannah Women’s Half Marathon, I promised her that I’d lace up my shoes with her during our vacation.  (If you want to register to walk or run this half marathon or 5k, use the code healthyhappierbear for a discount!)

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After four long power walks which have left me tired and sore, I’ve realized that walking can be a great workout and help me stay in shape while we’re home. Walking has more benefits than weight loss and maintaining physical fitness. The walks are far more relaxing than my typical workouts and have a mind-clearing benefit, similar to yoga. There is so much valuable conversation enjoyed during a two-hour power walk through our neighborhood and views of the marsh and local wildlife only add to the experience. Today my sister-in-law and mother-in-law ended up walking together for almost two hours while chatting about upcoming travel plans! On Friday, my mom and I explored parts of the neighborhood we’d never seen, using Google Maps to navigate our way when needed.

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While long walks can’t fully replace my typical workouts, they are a great workout to include in my routine while we’re home. I joked with my mom today that long power walks are my new favorite group workout. While I can easily take a long walk solo, with Serial or another podcast keeping me company, it’s far more to pass time chatting with friends, similar to a long run.

If you’re at home for the holidays with a family who likes to walk, lace up your shoes and give it a try. It may take a bit longer than your typical workout, but you will have the opportunity to catch up with loved ones and have a great workout.

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As One Fitness Review

Thanks to my partnership with Fitmapped, I had the opportunity to try a new to me studio last night, As One. Located in Columbus Circle, right down the block from the Time Warner Center, As One squeezes a tough workout into a short time by using functional, compound weighted movements with cardio bursts.

I honestly had no idea what to expect and tweeted yesterday that I was nervous – hoping someone would calm my fears. Just two days after the half marathon my legs were still a bit weary. What I discovered upon entering the studio, located 3 floors above Broadway, was an environment that was somewhere between CrossFit and personal training. 2013-03-20 19.19.38

The studio and machines were very no frill, a far cry from some of the other studios I’ve visited in New York. But, what the studio lacked in frills, it made up for in workout style and personality.

The six of us were told that we’d experience many of their more common workout moves in a 65 minute long class that would mix cardio and strength. In addition, the trainers ensured that they’d watch us for form, correcting us along the way because form is more important than repetition. I loved hearing this as Lauren, my previous personal trainer, often preached the importance of proper form.

Our warm up got each of hearts beating quickly while warming up our joints and muscles: 5 rounds of 20 jumping jacks followed by 5 burpees.

Divided into 2 groups of 3 we started to tackle the core of the class, weight and cardio. They explained that we’d go through a circuit of exercises five times, rotating to stations along the way. The stations included the following:

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Cardio: Airdyne bike and StepMill

Floor moves: lunges, squats, mountain climbers, pushups, ab roll downs, dead lifts and rows with sand bags

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I really liked mixing it up with the StepMill and Airdyne bike. While the bike was definitely a bit retro, using both arms and legs to keep the pace high was an added challenge. By the time we finished the first round I knew I’d be sweating at the end! In addition, having a small group atmosphere allowed us to gain energy from each other and instilled a bit of competition. I was happy that I could still complete all the pushups in regular style though I did slow on the last round to ensure good form.

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True to their promise, the instructors did correct form the entire time and didn’t let anyone slack. This is definitely not a class for you if you like to take it easy or chill. Since the classes don’t allow for more than 15 participants, they can easily adjust and push you harder if they think it’s needed. I like having that level of accountability in a class.

One of the things that set As One apart from other fitness classes I’ve taken in the city that make me sweat and push me such as Barry’s or Uplift was the finale. Each class ends with 10 minutes of foam rolling and stretching. We did a few new to me moves with the foam roller, each of which targeted a different part of the leg! My fatigued legs were very thankful and I felt the buildup start to move as soon as the roller moved over the knots in my quads!

Would I go back: I’m spoiled considering that there are so many fitness options within walking distance of our apartment. If Columbus Circle was more convenient to my office or home, I’d definitely sprinkle this in when I’m looking for a good kick in the pants or with a friend. Their classes range from $20-$35 depending on the class and package purchased. If you want to try it out for yourself, they have such pride in what they do that the first class is ALWAYS FREE! Grab a friend and head uptown to try out one of their 3 different classes (As One Afterburn, As One Strength, or As One Cardio) and let me know what you think!

Want to read more? Check out the rest of the As One reviews on FitMapped!

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Gym Free Workout Options

It’s that time of the year when every gym is packed to the brim with new members, part of the “resolution club” hoping to uncover a new them through hours of dedication at the gym.

For some, they are in it to win it and ready to commit. For others, it is a short lived relationship that will end far before their annual membership ends.

But, what if you can’t fit a gym into your lifestyle right now? For some this may be due to a new child, an ailing parent, a demanding job, frequent business travel, or simply budget. Across the nation the cost of a gym membership continues to increase each year as gyms offer more perks for their members such as child care, thorough class schedules, scented towels, and improved service.

Just today, my friend Lindsey lamented on Facebook about the fact that her reliable fitness partner, Exercise TV, no longer existed. Before last week many people relied on this as an at home fitness solution.

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Luckily, for both Exercise TV addicts and people who can’t fit gyms into their life right now, there are two great new options available for far less than the average gym membership: Daily Burn and Gaiam TV. I’ve tried both of these over the past few weeks and have really enjoyed each of them!

 

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When Gaiam TV reached out to me about reviewing their new site, I expected to find a website with streaming yoga videos and workouts. While this excited me, I can’t live on yoga alone and therefore doubted how often I would use the site if I purchased as subscription. However, a few weeks ago, when my trainer cancelled last minute I turned to Gaiam TV for a workout substitution and was very pleasantly surprised.  Within seconds I was logged into the website and browsing their library of Jillian Michaels workouts, organized by categories, which included far more than yoga alone. The site is very easy to navigate for even first time visitors, even featuring a what’s trending section to direct visitors to their top videos and features.

imageI also love that Gaiam TV makes working out while I travel an easy option. Since you can access it via computer, iPad, television (using HDMI adapter) and iPhone I can break a sweat in the comfort of my hotel room when doing a yoga, fitness, or strength video. Gaiam also features films and documentaries which can be enjoyed during a plane trip, commute, or lazy evening at home.  Unlike other websites, which only deliver yoga workouts, I love that this site incorporates over 2,000 workout videos in one place which are accessible, on an unlimited basis, for only $9.99 per month. In addition, they offer a free 10 day trial so you can try it risk free.

 

While Daily Burn isn’t a new kid on the block, they have recently launched new features on their site that have made it a comprehensive fitness and nutrition power house. Daily Burn provides workouts and nutrition advice customized to help you meet the goals you share with them during the questionnaire portion. For example, I said that I had an average of 45 minutes to work out each day and wanted them to provide me with very specific nutritional guidelines which would make it easy to follow.

Within minutes, I was provided a full menu along with suggested recipes.

image My favorite part isn’t the menu but instead the grocery list it creates so I can ensure I have all the ingredients accessible when it comes time to prepare and cook each meal or snack.

In addition to the nutritional information Daily Burn suggested, it also provided me with a first workout based on the feedback I provided.

image If only I could figure out how to let them know that I need a workout that can be done in my small, New York City apartment. Oh well. After you complete the workout suggested, or any of the other workouts, you provide feedback which allows them to alter the workouts moving forward.

Daily Burn is a great option for people who are looking for a holistic nutrition and fitness program, not just a live streaming workout video. In addition, subscription is only $9.99 per month which is far less than a gym membership alone.  While I think some of their nutritional suggestions needs to be taken with a grain of salt, this is a great starting point and provides inspiration and ideas!

Similar to Gaiam TV, you can access Daily Burn from your computer, iPad, iPhone, television (using an HDMI connector) or Droid.

Question: Have you tried either of these workout options yet? What are your thoughts? If not, what is keeping you from trying them?

Today’s Food:

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