Move
barre3 Team Challenger Check In: Week 1
Week One of the Challenge has begun, and it’s time for our weekly team check-in! Just like you, the barre3 team members are figuring out how to stay true to the Challenge while dealing with obstacles—both expected and unexpected. Read on to find out how they’re dealing with everything from ice storms to sugar cravings, and tell us about your experience in the comments.
I indulged a little too much on Sunday night, knowing that I was willingly giving up certain things for the Challenge (coffee, pizza, Milk Duds at the movies). It definitely took a toll on my body Monday morning. Getting out of bed was ROUGH! Since it was icy on the roads here in Portland, the studios were closed for the day. I took this news as an excuse to not work out. After lying in bed contemplating whether I should go back to sleep or watch Netflix, I remembered my New Year’s resolution: no more excuses! I wasn’t going to allow myself to start off the first Monday of the New Year with an excuse. I dragged myself to the kitchen, made some green tea, hopped on the streetcar to the Pearl studio where I met up with team members Lisa Schale-Drake, Catie Fahrner, and Jenni Johnson for a meeting, and then afterwards we all stuck around and did a 40-minute online workout. It was just what I needed to get back on track. I feel like the rest of the week will be a breeze now that I’ve conquered Monday. I know I’ll run into some hurdles, but I’m ready to jump over them. NO EXCUSES!
I did the exercise part of the Challenge for the first time a year ago, and it was great way to get healthier and stronger for my favorite winter sports: skiing and basketball. I’m psyched for skiing this year given how much snow is on the mountains here in Oregon. I went up a couple of times over the holidays and didn’t feel that great, though. A couple of weeks of barre3 leg and core work should change that. Last year I didn’t do the diet part of the Challenge, but this year my wife and fellow barre3 employee Kait Hurley has successfully pressured me into going all in with it. I definitely indulged in baked goods over the holidays and am already craving those things! I should mention I slipped accidentally on Tuesday. It turns out organic, gluten-free frozen burritos aren’t a whole food. Oops!
The first week of the Challenge came with excitement and nerves. The excitement came from our grand-opening week of barre3 Druid Hills. I was filled with joy as so many new clients came flooding through our doors to try class for the first time. Nerves kicked in for me as I prepared to travel to Orlando mid-week to run my second half-marathon. Waking up for my first early-morning shifts at the studio, preparing for my half marathon physically and mentally, and trying to figure out a schedule to do four in-studio classes before I left had me exhausted. However, once I took my first two classes of the week I could completely see a change in my energy. I was ready to go, and the week didn’t seem so daunting anymore. Every time I left class, even if I was having a stressful day, I felt so much happier and energized. The added energy from class helped me make great decisions all week. I made my favorite barre3 Bars because they’re easy to grab for a quick snack. The 10-minute online workout was perfect to do in my hotel room to keep my muscles moving before my big race. Every New Year I set way too many unrealistic goals, but barre3 has showed me it’s not about reaching perfection but finding balance and aiming for progress. I am so excited to be starting out 2016 with the barre3 Challenge and a half marathon.
After spending the holidays with my family in New Mexico, I am so floored to get back to my fast-paced life in New York City. As a performer, keeping myself in top shape is a challenge for me on a regular basis. I hope the structure and guidance in this Challenge will help me find clarity and consistency for my mind, body, and spirit in the ever-changing world of New York. Looking forward to getting in some leg work at the airport on my way back to NYC. I know traveling all day will make eating well a challenge, but I think I can make it work with some tasty recipes from the blog.
Okay. I had all intentions of hitting Monday STRONG, with a studio class scheduled and yummy food planned. Then a snow and ice storm hit Portland and I kinda derailed. My family was house-bound. We literally could not walk out our front door—it was a sheet of ice. Amen for technology—I was able to get in a 40-minute online workout with Sadie, and another 10 minutes with Harper later in the day. But! I caved when our neighbors came over with pizza for dinner. It was a weak moment and I am not proud; seriously, this was day ONE! But since then, I’ve been on the up and up. Lots of fueling foods and killer studio classes. I’m meal prepping and carving out time every day for my workouts. One day at a time is my motto.
I seriously love going all-in with the Challenge, and I LOVE that I’m home for most of this month so I can cook, relax, and work out with the PDX peeps! December travel took a toll on my energy levels and my sleep, so this reset is what I need. My boyfriend and I are also totally ready for the alcohol detox after all the holiday festivities. He’s always down to cook healthy with me, so it’s going to be a fun month. I plan to explore new recipes, as I tend to rely on a few favorites but want to break out of my shell! I usually don’t plan out my workouts, but I’ve been scheduling each workout on my calendar, and I’m trying to take class at different times with new instructors. I’m excited about changing things up in that sense. I’ve also been connecting with friends so we can schedule workouts together. The Portland ice storm put a bit of a monkey wrench into my workout schedule, but thankfully we have online workouts! I did my new fav: Allison’s Ultimate Multitasker. It’s seriously the best band workout ever. I teach it a lot, but I hadn’t done the at-home version yet, and it’s a BURNER. I’m so thankful that I had a resistance band at home during the ice storm! Also thankful that I did grocery shopping on Sunday (I shimmied on the ice and walked to the store!). Sunday is the day that sets me up for success for the week: meal planning, grocery shopping, mapping out those workouts…all of these things make me feel excited for the week to come.
After a very relaxing and indulgent Christmas trip filled with mom’s home-cooked meals and treats, I am now back in reality and feeling sugar-deprived! Thankfully I have my favorite barre3 savory oatmeal with fried egg recipe to nurse me back to whole eating. Our studio was buzzing with excitement this week and it was tangible. Weekday 6ams are magic in these parts. I’m thankful to have the option of getting a full 60 minutes of me time before my husband goes to work and my daughter wakes up. It can be tough to pull off sometimes, but it’s well worth the effort. (I see you, fellow sleep-deprived mamas!) Anyone else feel like you have a personal cheering section at your local studio? The moral support I receive in studio is something else! I’ve committed to dismiss all negative self-talk, and it’s pretty awesome to notice in class encouragement and accolades becoming my inner voice of self confidence.
I’ve been mentally gearing up for the Challenge for some time now. I decided to give #dryjanuary a try and to incorporate that into my commitment to healthy eating. I’ve been reading lately that a dry January can have lasting impacts for the rest of the year. People report that they drink less over the next 6-12 months, and I think that’s an amazing and achievable goal. I come from an Italian family who drinks homemade red wine with dinner, and drinking is a big part of having a social life, especially in NYC. BUT, I’m feeling so much more energized in the mornings this week, and my skin is already starting to look better. So far, so good!
The nutritional component is always the piece I struggle with most during Challenges. The workouts? No sweat (well, I suppose there is sweat, but that I enjoy!). The food portion, however, always seems daunting. And unlike my barre3 practice, where I am a master of honoring my body and accepting where I am each day, when attempting to follow a meal plan I’m rigidly all-in, and one slip up sends me down the shame spiral. Since I already work out regularly, going all-in for the nutritional competent is how I hope to up the ante to feel fantastic for my wedding-dress fitting next month. However, I feel like I’m struggling out of the gate here. I’m still on my meal plan I sketched out for the week, but prepping all this food is making me extra hungry. And, full disclosure, I miss my daily cookies! My goal is to have enough barre3 snacks on hand to keep me from caving and reaching for something that isn’t part of this plan.
Waking up to ice and studio closures left me worried that I would let day one of the Challenge start off on the wrong foot. Coming off of the holidays, I’m still walking that tightrope of indulgence where I tell myself not to eat unhealthy treats, and five minutes later I’m licking the ice-cream bowl clean. I decided not to let the weather stop me from my goal of committing to the barre3 Challenge in every way—taking all of the classes, trying the recipes, and, most important for me, staying true to the nutrition philosophy. In order to combat my ever-so-raging sweet tooth, I made some barre3 Donut Holes. I already tuned into my week-one 10-minute online workout, and I have my four studio sessions planned out for the week and some meals prepped, and I’m feeling motivated again! My main week-one goal is to cut out all artificial sweeteners… so far, so good!
It’s not too late to sign up for the Challenge! Join the barre3 team members—and thousands of other Challengers across the country—by signing up now.
Week One of the Challenge has begun, and it’s time for our weekly team check-in! Just like you, the barre3 team members are figuring out how to stay true to the Challenge while dealing with obstacles—both expected and unexpected. Read on to find out how they’re dealing with everything from ice storms to sugar cravings, and tell us about your experience in the comments.
I indulged a little too much on Sunday night, knowing that I was willingly giving up certain things for the Challenge (coffee, pizza, Milk Duds at the movies). It definitely took a toll on my body Monday morning. Getting out of bed was ROUGH! Since it was icy on the roads here in Portland, the studios were closed for the day. I took this news as an excuse to not work out. After lying in bed contemplating whether I should go back to sleep or watch Netflix, I remembered my New Year’s resolution: no more excuses! I wasn’t going to allow myself to start off the first Monday of the New Year with an excuse. I dragged myself to the kitchen, made some green tea, hopped on the streetcar to the Pearl studio where I met up with team members Lisa Schale-Drake, Catie Fahrner, and Jenni Johnson for a meeting, and then afterwards we all stuck around and did a 40-minute online workout. It was just what I needed to get back on track. I feel like the rest of the week will be a breeze now that I’ve conquered Monday. I know I’ll run into some hurdles, but I’m ready to jump over them. NO EXCUSES!
I did the exercise part of the Challenge for the first time a year ago, and it was great way to get healthier and stronger for my favorite winter sports: skiing and basketball. I’m psyched for skiing this year given how much snow is on the mountains here in Oregon. I went up a couple of times over the holidays and didn’t feel that great, though. A couple of weeks of barre3 leg and core work should change that. Last year I didn’t do the diet part of the Challenge, but this year my wife and fellow barre3 employee Kait Hurley has successfully pressured me into going all in with it. I definitely indulged in baked goods over the holidays and am already craving those things! I should mention I slipped accidentally on Tuesday. It turns out organic, gluten-free frozen burritos aren’t a whole food. Oops!
The first week of the Challenge came with excitement and nerves. The excitement came from our grand-opening week of barre3 Druid Hills. I was filled with joy as so many new clients came flooding through our doors to try class for the first time. Nerves kicked in for me as I prepared to travel to Orlando mid-week to run my second half-marathon. Waking up for my first early-morning shifts at the studio, preparing for my half marathon physically and mentally, and trying to figure out a schedule to do four in-studio classes before I left had me exhausted. However, once I took my first two classes of the week I could completely see a change in my energy. I was ready to go, and the week didn’t seem so daunting anymore. Every time I left class, even if I was having a stressful day, I felt so much happier and energized. The added energy from class helped me make great decisions all week. I made my favorite barre3 Bars because they’re easy to grab for a quick snack. The 10-minute online workout was perfect to do in my hotel room to keep my muscles moving before my big race. Every New Year I set way too many unrealistic goals, but barre3 has showed me it’s not about reaching perfection but finding balance and aiming for progress. I am so excited to be starting out 2016 with the barre3 Challenge and a half marathon.
After spending the holidays with my family in New Mexico, I am so floored to get back to my fast-paced life in New York City. As a performer, keeping myself in top shape is a challenge for me on a regular basis. I hope the structure and guidance in this Challenge will help me find clarity and consistency for my mind, body, and spirit in the ever-changing world of New York. Looking forward to getting in some leg work at the airport on my way back to NYC. I know traveling all day will make eating well a challenge, but I think I can make it work with some tasty recipes from the blog.
Okay. I had all intentions of hitting Monday STRONG, with a studio class scheduled and yummy food planned. Then a snow and ice storm hit Portland and I kinda derailed. My family was house-bound. We literally could not walk out our front door—it was a sheet of ice. Amen for technology—I was able to get in a 40-minute online workout with Sadie, and another 10 minutes with Harper later in the day. But! I caved when our neighbors came over with pizza for dinner. It was a weak moment and I am not proud; seriously, this was day ONE! But since then, I’ve been on the up and up. Lots of fueling foods and killer studio classes. I’m meal prepping and carving out time every day for my workouts. One day at a time is my motto.
I seriously love going all-in with the Challenge, and I LOVE that I’m home for most of this month so I can cook, relax, and work out with the PDX peeps! December travel took a toll on my energy levels and my sleep, so this reset is what I need. My boyfriend and I are also totally ready for the alcohol detox after all the holiday festivities. He’s always down to cook healthy with me, so it’s going to be a fun month. I plan to explore new recipes, as I tend to rely on a few favorites but want to break out of my shell! I usually don’t plan out my workouts, but I’ve been scheduling each workout on my calendar, and I’m trying to take class at different times with new instructors. I’m excited about changing things up in that sense. I’ve also been connecting with friends so we can schedule workouts together. The Portland ice storm put a bit of a monkey wrench into my workout schedule, but thankfully we have online workouts! I did my new fav: Allison’s Ultimate Multitasker. It’s seriously the best band workout ever. I teach it a lot, but I hadn’t done the at-home version yet, and it’s a BURNER. I’m so thankful that I had a resistance band at home during the ice storm! Also thankful that I did grocery shopping on Sunday (I shimmied on the ice and walked to the store!). Sunday is the day that sets me up for success for the week: meal planning, grocery shopping, mapping out those workouts…all of these things make me feel excited for the week to come.
After a very relaxing and indulgent Christmas trip filled with mom’s home-cooked meals and treats, I am now back in reality and feeling sugar-deprived! Thankfully I have my favorite barre3 savory oatmeal with fried egg recipe to nurse me back to whole eating. Our studio was buzzing with excitement this week and it was tangible. Weekday 6ams are magic in these parts. I’m thankful to have the option of getting a full 60 minutes of me time before my husband goes to work and my daughter wakes up. It can be tough to pull off sometimes, but it’s well worth the effort. (I see you, fellow sleep-deprived mamas!) Anyone else feel like you have a personal cheering section at your local studio? The moral support I receive in studio is something else! I’ve committed to dismiss all negative self-talk, and it’s pretty awesome to notice in class encouragement and accolades becoming my inner voice of self confidence.
I’ve been mentally gearing up for the Challenge for some time now. I decided to give #dryjanuary a try and to incorporate that into my commitment to healthy eating. I’ve been reading lately that a dry January can have lasting impacts for the rest of the year. People report that they drink less over the next 6-12 months, and I think that’s an amazing and achievable goal. I come from an Italian family who drinks homemade red wine with dinner, and drinking is a big part of having a social life, especially in NYC. BUT, I’m feeling so much more energized in the mornings this week, and my skin is already starting to look better. So far, so good!
The nutritional component is always the piece I struggle with most during Challenges. The workouts? No sweat (well, I suppose there is sweat, but that I enjoy!). The food portion, however, always seems daunting. And unlike my barre3 practice, where I am a master of honoring my body and accepting where I am each day, when attempting to follow a meal plan I’m rigidly all-in, and one slip up sends me down the shame spiral. Since I already work out regularly, going all-in for the nutritional competent is how I hope to up the ante to feel fantastic for my wedding-dress fitting next month. However, I feel like I’m struggling out of the gate here. I’m still on my meal plan I sketched out for the week, but prepping all this food is making me extra hungry. And, full disclosure, I miss my daily cookies! My goal is to have enough barre3 snacks on hand to keep me from caving and reaching for something that isn’t part of this plan.
Waking up to ice and studio closures left me worried that I would let day one of the Challenge start off on the wrong foot. Coming off of the holidays, I’m still walking that tightrope of indulgence where I tell myself not to eat unhealthy treats, and five minutes later I’m licking the ice-cream bowl clean. I decided not to let the weather stop me from my goal of committing to the barre3 Challenge in every way—taking all of the classes, trying the recipes, and, most important for me, staying true to the nutrition philosophy. In order to combat my ever-so-raging sweet tooth, I made some barre3 Donut Holes. I already tuned into my week-one 10-minute online workout, and I have my four studio sessions planned out for the week and some meals prepped, and I’m feeling motivated again! My main week-one goal is to cut out all artificial sweeteners… so far, so good!
It’s not too late to sign up for the Challenge! Join the barre3 team members—and thousands of other Challengers across the country—by signing up now.
