Happy Monday! Yesterday was a fun day. But perhaps the funniest/ most “Jess” moment was when I went to cryotheraphy after brunch and forgot a change of shoes so I walked out in sweats and a pair of stilettos. Oh and we had to go to the grocery store so I did do my Sunday shopping in said attire. Photo thanks to my boyfriend, who never ceases to document my most candid (special) moments.
Outfit goals
Outfit aside, I wanted to give an update on my fitness routine. If you can remember, I did a Pilates challenge in February and for March I decided to try Orange Theory. I’m not quite where I want to be but let me tell you, if you’re looking for cardio, Orange Theory is amazing. It reminds me of Barry’s Bootcamp in NYC. You split time between the treadmill, rower and the weight room. Now, the treadmill part always seems the longest to me because its hardest for me, but I leave there drenched and confident that I torched tons of calories.
I haven’t documented my training sessions because I’m just trying to survive LOL but trust me when I say it’s a killer workout. Here are the things you need to know: it’s a little pricey, you will have to pay for the heart rate monitor, classes fill up quickly.
I’m a bit of a planner so I schedule out my week in advance to not only assure there’s room in the classes but also to help keep myself accountable. I ended up paying $150 for the wrist heart rate monitor because the chest one was cutting into my skin. So there are definitely some costs to be aware of aside from the class cost.
I’m not sure its something I can afford to do all out every month but I plan to do a package of maybe 20 and go a couple of times a month to keep my cardio up. I’ll keep you posted on how that actually works out.
I do want to say that while I haven’t documented any before and after pics, I have finally noticed some real changes thanks to Orange Theory. I went 3-5 times a week for March. It can be hard on my old soccer legs to go back to back days but they do a good job of switching up the programs. My favorite part is what they call the “after burn.” When I was in the best shape of my life, my trainer Travis would put me through workouts that ensured an “after burn” for the next 12-24 hours. That means you’re torching more calories for even longer. I think that’s when some great results can be achieved.
I noticed that my cardio health is better. When I go for a normal run I don’t need to take breaks anymore. I also noticed more toning all over my body. Both things I was looking to achieve!
Overall, I really recommend anyone who’s looking for a killer workout to try Orange Theory. If you’re intimidated, don’t be. You can do it at any level. I was worried people would judge me because our names were up there on the screen but I shortly realized, everyone is only checking their own progress. It’s You vs. You and I love that!
OK my second obsession is cryotherapy. I go to CryoZone in Dallas. If you haven’t heard of cryotherapy it’s 3 minutes in a little chamber that goes waaaay below zero. If you’ve ever done an ice bath, it’s like that but I think it’s easier because it’s 3 minutes and you’re dry, not wet. But here’s why I love it:
- boost in energy
- I sleep better
- mood lift
- I’m more focused
- helps my body recover from workouts
- you can torch up to 500-800 cals
I’m not sure about the calorie part but if its a possibility, I will take it! But I have had proven experience in the other bullet points. I try to go once a week at least. Again, it can be pricey but I really believe in it.
Just wanted to share my progress with you all real quick and let you know that for April I’ve been getting back to my zen with yoga. I started doing yoga in college in 2003. I absolutely love it. I am not flexible at all but I will say that it helps me to perform better when I run and do other activities. The mental benefits are incredible and the sweat factor leaves my skin super glowing. I’m hoping to progress a little more on my fitness goals but mostly I want to slow down and center in April and I can’t think of a better way than to hit the mat and flow.
I’ll keep you all posted after my month at CorePower! Have a fab week!