T25 Beta & Gamma Review

T25 has been my main workout throughout the second half of my pregnancy.  You can find my review of the first 5 weeks here:

http://www.crashintofitness.com/2016/08/t25-alpha-review.html

Those first 5 weeks, or the Alpha phase, was all cardio based.  Some body weight resistance moves were used (tricep dips, pushups, etc) but weights were never used.  This changes as you enter the Beta phase.  Like the Alpha phase, Beta is still 25 minutes per day, 5 days a week.  Fridays are still an optional doubles day and you also have an optional stretch day in the program.  Instead of doing the stretch day, I just did my yoga.

Beta consists of 6 workouts:  Core Cardio, Speed 2.0, Rip't Circuit, Dynamic Core, Upper Focus and Stretch.  Before I started Beta, I checked out the 2 core workouts to see if they were something I could do while pregnant.  I decided against Dynamic Core because it was a lot of straight forward core work and I would probably end up substituting the entire workout.  Instead I skipped that day on the schedule. My workouts still ended up being 5 days per week thought because I split up the doubles day into 2 different days.  Core Cardio did have some ab work that I could not do.  I found that I could follow the modifier for most moves.  If I still wasn't comfortable with the move, I would just jog in place instead.

The Speed 2.0 workout was definitely more challenging than Speed 1.0 from Alpha.  I was also bigger and less coordinated as my pregnancy progressed so I have no doubt that played a role in my difficulties.  For a non-pregnant person, I could see how Speed 2.0 would easily build on Speed 1.0 while offering you a new challenge.  But for anyone doing the speed workouts, or any workout really, it's important to remember that you don't HAVE  to keep up with the moves on the screen.  Go at your own pace and you will be fine.

My favorite workouts from Beta were the 2 weights based routines:  Rip't Circuit and Upper Focus.  I love using weights and that was something I really missed during Alpha.  The lifting style in T25 is much more similar to something like P90X3 as opposed to Body Beast or the original P90X.  Shaun T focuses more on lighter weights and compound movements.  I stuck with 5 lbs the entire time.  Honestly, I feel like I could have gone heavier but I was really conscious of not putting too much extra weight on my pelvic floor while it already had so much extra with the baby.  When I do T25 post baby, I will start with 5 lbs again but plan to up my weights as I move through the program.

After 5 weeks of Beta comes the Gamma phase.  I absolutely love Gamma.  Gamma is 4 weeks instead of 5 and focuses much more on weights than the Beta phase.  I love how Alpha, Beta and Gamma all build on each other.  My enjoyment of T25 greatly increased with each phase.

Gamma has 4 different workouts:  The Pyramid, Rip't Up, Extreme Circuit and Speed 3.0, plus the stretch day.  These workouts are more challenging than Alpa or Beta so Friday is no longer a doubles day.

The Pyramid, Rip't Up and Extreme Circuit all use weights pretty much nonstop.  Of course, resistance bands can be used and 1 of the workouts also offers the option to use a pull up bar instead of certain moves.  I loved all 3 of these workouts!!  A couple had ab moves while I could not do, so instead I just jogged in place.  Sometimes I marched in place because I jogging got harder and harder the more I progressed through my pregnancy.  Speed 3.0 was crazy fast and I just went at my own pace.  I actually really loved that workout too, despite the lack of weights.

Gamma does not offer as many modifications as Alpha or Beta, but it did have some.  When it came to a move I could not do, I would either march in place or pull out a modification move they demonstrated in a previous phase.  I'd assume most people would have greatly improved their fitness over the prior 10 weeks so they would not need as many modifications as they did at first.  Being pregnant, I loved Gamma.  It did not have any workouts that I needed to skip and it had a lot of great moves with light weights that were safe to do while pregnant.  Plus the 25 minutes were absolutely perfect for me.

T25 also has the option for a 4th month of the program:  Pure Strength Hybrid.  This calendar mostly uses strength workouts from Beta and Gamma, but it also includes Total Body Circuit from Alpha and Speed 3.0.  I have not yet had the chance to do this month and probably will not for awhile, but plan to once I am given the clearance to workout and move through Alpha, Beta and Gamma again. I will have a review of that month once I can get to it!

As I mentioned above, I liked each phase of T25 better than the last.  Alpha is an adjustment for somebody used to using weights but it really sets a foundation for the rest of the program.  Each phase builds on each other and I think a clear next step after finishing T25 would be Insanity:  Max 30.  I am looking forward to returning to T25 after baby comes and I am given the clearance to workout.

You can actually do the first 4 weeks of T25 for free on Beachbody on Demand, so if this is something that interests you, drop me an email at Lauren.madara@gmail.com

T25 Alpha Review

I recently finished the Alpha phase of T25.  As I blogged previously, I had doubts about doing T25.  I always thought it was "easy" and didn't compare to my usual fitness routine (typically lifting with either Body Beast or P90X, running, hot yoga and HIIT cardio like Max 30).  Since becoming pregnant I found that I was struggling with finding the motivation to workout when I was so exhausted all of the time.  While I did complete Hammer & Chisel and then did a hybrid of Body Beast/Hard Corps, I needed something new and short.  That's when I thought I would give T25 a try.  It's Shaun T but not crazy Insanity style Shaun T.

The T25 workouts are 25 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Including the cool down/stretch every workout is under 30 minutes (they usually clock in around 28 minutes). Fridays are doubles day which is intended to fire up your metabolism.  You can also do an optional stretch day as well, but I already go to yoga so I felt like I was covered there. However, if you are sore I would highly recommend doing the stretching day!  The regular T25 schedule has an Alpha and Beta phase (5 weeks each) and the deluxe package includes and extra month of a Gamma phase.

I started T25 when I was 21 weeks pregnant and it took me 7 weeks to complete the first 5 week phase.  The thing about doing T25 while pregnant or postpartum or just generally when you are out of shape is that it has an AMAZING modifier who makes the entire workout low impact.  Even while following the modifier I worked up a sweat and my leg muscles were burning!  Another cool thing about the program is that it can be hard for any fitness levels.  If you are doing it without the modifier, you can jump high and really move to get in a killer workout.  It honestly is something that anybody can do!  I also think it progresses your fitness level in a way that anybody would be able to do something like Insanity Max:30 when they are finished (that has a modifier too).

Alpha workouts include:  cardio, total body circuit, lower focus, speed 1.0 and ab intervals.  I skipped the ab workouts, for obvious reasons, but did everything else.  I think my favorites were cardio and speed 1.0.  They both get you moving and sweating.  Both workouts have similar moves but speed 1.0 is done at a faster pace, hence the title!  Total body had me on the mat planking and doing pushups (the modifier had me on my knees the whole time, which was perfect for me). The lower body KILLS your legs.  So many squats and lunges!!!  I swear at one point Shaun T says "your legs should start burning now" meanwhile I'm over here thinking "what?! They have been burning for 5 minutes!!"

The Alpha phase is all strictly cardio and body weights.  You never pick up a weight and the only equipment you may need is a mat. I absolutely use a mat because I do the pushups on my knees on a hard wood floor!  I just started the Beta phase and so far this one does incorporate weights in a few of the workouts.  I will have a review of that phase up once I am finished.

After doing Alpha and now starting Beta and seeing how it builds on Alpha, I definitely plan to have T25 be my first postpartum program once I am cleared to workout this winter.  The quickness of the workouts combined with such an excellent modifier make that a no brainer for me.  I really think it will help me lose weight and improve my fitness level so I can move onto a more difficult program.

T25 is available on Beachbody On Demand so anyone interested in doing the free 30 day trial of BOD, email me!  lauren.madara@gmail.com

Fit for Fall

How is it already August?!?! It's already less than a month until I send my son to school for the first time! Now that the school year is quickly approaching, it's time for all of us Moms to take some time for ourselves and focus on our health and fitness. I've decided to run a

"Fit for Fall" accountability group starting on August 22nd. You pick the fitness program...I can help you choose one depending on your goals/time/fitness level. The current program I'm doing is 25 minutes a day, 5 days a week, for example.

Whether you need to lose weight, gain muscle, or just get in slightly better shape, you will definitely benefit from the simple combination of fitness, nutrition and support.  Most people quit fitness programs because they are trying to do it alone, without support. This is where the accountability group comes in! 

My fall accountability group will have:

- One on one support from me, your coach, whenever you need it

- Fitness program of your choice (something for all fitness levels & your time availability)

- 30 days of a superfood shake (not some gross "diet" shake)

- 30 days of a variety of workouts/meal plans On Demand 

- Special gift pack from me for anyone who hasn't worked with me before (and of course anybody who had worked with me before is more than welcome to join!)

If you invest in yourself and meet me halfway by eating healthy and getting in your workouts, you will be successful! 

I want to keep it small and intimate, so I only have room for 5-10 women. Let's take some time for ourselves this school year.

Email me at Lauren.madara@gmail.com for more information!

Second Trimester Fitness

If you missed my blog on first trimester fitness you can find it here:

http://www.crashintofitness.com/2016/05/first-trimester-fitness.html

Ahh, the second trimester!  The time during your pregnancy when your energy levels somewhat returns, your nausea goes away (hopefully) and you aren't yet so big and uncomfortable as you will be later on in your pregnancy.  Absolutely take advantage of the energy and get in some workouts!! As I said before, walking, light weights and prenatal yoga are all great workouts for those who were not regular fitness addicts before pregnancy.  I have days, especially after I travel, where I feel SO tired.  I really do feel better when I can get off of my sofa and get something done that day.  For those who were active pre-pregnancy, definitely keep going with your workouts.  Of course, you will probably need more breaks, modifications and lighter weights, but you can still go for it!

My current routine is hot yoga about 4-5 times per week and T25 about 4 times per week.  Some weeks I have more energy than others so I take advantage of that energy spurt.  And on those days where I'm tired, I rest.  No big deal.  I've learned not to beat myself up about it taking longer to get through a program.  Phase 1 of T25 is supposed to last 5 weeks but it took me 7.  It's ok!  Something is better than nothing!

I am still sticking with the hot yoga, I just end up in child's pose a lot more often.  I have also noticed that my balance is really starting to get terrible and the standing balance series is such a challenge for me.  I started adding some deep stretch classes into my yoga routine.  They are less intense than power yoga, and more stretching my body out.  I think at some point in my third trimester I will switch to just deep stretch and prenatal yoga (I'm so lucky that my studio offers that too!).  Doing so much yoga has absolutely been beneficial to me.  I am still pain free, and if you follow my posts you know that I had pretty bad sciatic nerve pain during my first pregnancy.  I am really hoping that I can hold any pain off for as long as possible!

For cardio I have been doing T25.  This is something I switched to during my second trimester.  If you are looking for a cardio workout to do, I would HIGHLY recommend T25.  Shaun T, creator of Insanity, does T25 but it's a much, much less intense version of his Insanity-type workouts.  The workouts are 5 days per week, 25 minutes per day.  I always shrugged T25 off as too easy for me, but I decided to give it a try 7 weeks ago when I was having trouble getting motivated for longer workouts.  I fell in love instantly.  Each workout has an awesome modifier who makes the workouts low impact.  I love it!  I always follow the modifier.  I just started the second phase of T25 today.  That was a bit more challenging, but, again, I stuck with the modifications.  I plan to do a T25 Alpha (first phase) review on the blog next, so if that's something you are interested in, check that out in a few days.

My main goals this pregnancy are to try to stay in good shape.  Nothing crazy, I just don't want to have to start from absolutely zero afterward like I did last time.  I'm trying to be the middle of the road between the people who do nothing during their pregnancy and those who are doing crazy CrossFit workouts at 40 weeks.  So far I think I am succeeding.  I'm taking it day by day and really listening to my body.  I just entered my third trimester so I am really hoping I can keep up my workouts for these next 12 weeks!

If you have any questions about pregnancy fitness, feel free to reach out to me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/crashintofitness or send me an email at lauren.madara@gmail.com or you can always join my totally free ongoing accountability group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/865878936823860/

Summit!!

Late last night I got back from my first ever Beachbody Summit in Nashville, TN.  Summit is the annual Beachbody convention where 25,000 coaches come together for a weekend of working out, trainings/workshops, parties and celebrations.  While I understood that 25,000 coaches would be there, I was not quite prepared for what that would look like!  I arrived on Thursday with plenty of time to sign in a receive my wristbands and badge before my 5pm workout with Tony Horton.  It was amazing and overwhelming just how many people were there walking around in Music City Center!  After my quick and easy sign-in, I decided to go to The Core, a MASSIVE store they had there selling exclusive merchandise for all of the Beachbody programs, live formats and supplements.  Basically they were selling anything and everything you could ever imagine involving Beachbody.  I wanted to buy everything but I held myself to just three shirts and a P90X baby onesie!

My first day there also had one of the highlights of my trip:  a Hard Corps cardio workout with the man himself, Tony Horton.  All of us coaches could sign up for a workout with a celebrity trainer.  Turbokick or PiYo with Chalene, Hard Corps cardio or resistance with Tony, the brand new country dance program called Country Heat with Autumn, Body Beast workouts with Sagi or workouts with the 2 newest Beachbody trainers.  My workout was 45 minutes and seriously fantastic.  I have been working out with Tony in my living room for six years so having him right there in front of me was mind blowing.  His workout was hard but he had modifiers which made it easy for me to follow along, even being six months pregnant!

Thursday evening we had Opening Ceremony at Nissan Stadium.  This was so much fun!  I was there solo and sat in the upper section where I could stretch out and relax.  I actually spent most of my time solo since everyone on my team was staying in a house together but I opted to stay with my family in a hotel.  Opening Ceremony is where they announce all of the new and exciting things coming down the pipeline for Beachbody.  These include:  A reality competition show called The 20s based on searching for the next Beachbody trainer on Beachbody on Demand (BOD), Autumn's new cooking show called Fixate (also on BOD), a new 3 week yoga program coming in September (again, on BOD) and the November release of a new kickboxing program called Core de Force with the newest trainers.  It all looks SO exciting, especially Core de Force and the yoga program.

Friday was all about the trainings. We could sign up for a few different tracks, depending on what we wanted to focus on.  I feel like I learned SO much during my trainings/workshops.  Honestly, my main goal for Summit was to workout with the trainers I love, but I really enjoyed soaking in all of the information we were given in our trainings.  Part practical advice and tips for running our business, part full on life motivation - everything was great. Chalene (TurboFire and PiYo) spoke to us during our Friday general session. I love her and listen to her podcast so I really enjoyed what she had to say.

Another highlight of the weekend was the Saturday morning Super Workout.  The workout started at 6am so I arrived at 5am to try to get an okay spot.  We worked out with each trainer for about 15 minutes.  They all had modifiers, which was awesome for me because I'm obviously not doing any crazy jumping around while pregnant.  Our workout started out with Chalene and PiYo to warm up and stretch out.  Then the new trainers came out and we did some of the new Core de Force.  They were followed by Sagi and Body Beast without weights.  Next was Shaun T and Insanity.  I really love him so I was extremely excited to be able to workout with him!  He was SO motivating, especially since we were all pretty tired by then.  Shaun T was followed by Tony and Hard Corps (a different workout from my Thursday workout).  By that point we had been working out for an hour and still had to do 21 Day Fix with Autumn.  90 minutes after we started we were done!  I'm so thankful I had my Hydrate with me to drink during the workout!

Post workout was followed by more training sessions.  Shaun T spoke at our general session that day.  I also listen to his podcast and really loved his entire talk.  Summit ended back at Nissan Stadium with closing ceremonies where they celebrated coaches and the  $100,000 winners of the Beachbody Challenge.

As you can see, the weekend was extremely busy!!  I didn't even mention the stuff I didn't do such as the live instructor certifications for Insanity, P90X, PiYo and Country Heat on Wednesday, the elite coach parties, private Billy Idol concert, photos with celeb trainers and the Beachbody Classic (physique competition).  Being 6 months pregnant and running on little sleep and lots of intense workouts, I made sure to pace myself, pack snacks, stay hydrated and take naps!  I also brought my husband and son along on the trip and met up with them for mealtimes.  So many people had kids or babies there.  You could not walk into the hallways during a training and find a father taking care of his tiny baby while his wife was in trainings.  I also saw quite a few women babywearing and nursing in the trainings.  I love how family friendly this company is!

Next year Summit will move from Nashville to New Orleans and I cannot wait!! I have big plans for my second summit:  get Insanity certified, compete in the Beachbody Classic and take my business to Diamond!  If you are a current Beachbody coach or thinking about becoming one, I highly recommend Summit.  Heck, even if you just enjoy working out, I'd recommend you go and experience once-in-a-lifetime workouts with world famous trainers!  Email me at lauren.madara@gmail.com if you are interested in going and check out all the info at www.coachsummit2017.com

First Trimester Fitness

We've all heard how beneficial exercise is when pregnant, but it can be very hard to find the energy!  It's hard enough to find motivation to workout when we aren't pregnant, let alone when we are!  Obviously, before doing anything, speak with your doctor because only he or she knows the specifics of your pregnancy.  Most likely you can continue your pre-pregnancy activity level while pregnant.  Before I got pregnant I was training for a Spartan Race so my typical week was P90X every day, walk/runs using Couch to 10k twice per week and hot yoga about 4 times per week.  My doctor said that since my fitness level pre-pregnancy was so high, I could stay at that level.  Great!

During my first pregnancy I was very fatigued in the first trimester and needed daily naps.  I should have worked out more, but I was tired!  Haha, great excuse, right?  I did a little bit of TurboFire, a ton of walking and some prenatal yoga (my classes were twice a month so it was nothing too consistent). This pregnancy has been very different so far.  In addition to the fatigue, I had extreme all day long morning sickness.  I had 3 weeks where I could barely get off of the sofa and the only thing that kept my nausea at bay were Sour Patch kids.  It was awful.  I have honestly never felt that poorly in my entire life!  At 8 weeks I went on anti-nausea meds and felt better immediately.  Not 100 percent, but better.

If you are having an experience like me where you are very nauseous, throwing up and in general can't move off of the coach, the first trimester is all about survival!  Yes, you might eat Sour Patch Kids and saltines and drink ginger ale and take a bunch of rest days, but you need to do what you have to just to get through it.  During that time period I took 3 full weeks off of yoga and managed to get in about 2 other workouts a week.  I was beating myself up a bit about it because I just wanted to work out, but I realized it was just a short time period and I couldn't really get in a good workout if I was throwing up nonstop.  I did what a could, but I was mostly just trying to get through each day.

I consider anybody who doesn't feel terribly nauseous lucky, so if you are having my first pregnancy experience of just being tired, you can definitely keep going with your pre-pregnancy workouts (Doctor approved, of course).  Working out really does give you more energy throughout your pregnancy and reduces your aches and pains.  I am hoping to keep the awful sciatic nerve pain I had during my first pregnancy at bay this time around.  Working out is also supposed to help with labor so fingers crossed that's true!  It also should help with the weight gain, but as we all know, some people gain more than others no matter what they do.  Try not to stress over the weight gain though, it will come off!

Tips For Newbies to Fitness:

1) Walk.  Going on walks is a fantastic, easy way to get in some low impact steady state cardio.  I walked a few miles every day with my first pregnancy.  I haven't been walking much this time around though because my toddler likes to take slow strolls and doesn't like his stroller so the walks aren't much of a workout for me.  I will, however, increase my walking later on in the pregnancy once my toddler starts preschool and I have some alone time.  

2) Yoga.  Yoga is fantastic while pregnant.  I am still doing my hot yoga, which my doctor assured me was okay since I had already been doing it.  It is not something to start while pregnant though!  Prenatal yoga is great and is something people of all fitness levels can do to prepare for labor.  Even if you plan to get an epidural, the breathing taught during yoga can help in labor.  Prenatal yoga also really stretches you out and lets you take care of yourself in a loving way.  I plan to do prenatal yoga later in my pregnancy when my hot yoga becomes too much for me.

3) Light weights.  Obviously don't start lifting crazy heavy weights or sign up for CrossFit while you are pregnant, but everybody can benefit from weightlifting.  If you start with very light weights, you can challenge your body in a safe way.  Beachbody On Demand actually has a maternity series where Autumn (from 21 Day Fix) has a workout for each trimester as well as postpartum.  It's nothing crazy, just some simple moves that you can do during pregnancy.  I will be posting videos of me trying out some of those moves to my Facebook page!

Tips for those Previously Working Out:

1) Realize you won't be able to do what you were doing before.  I made my weights lighter when I lift and I notice that I tire much more easily than before.  I'm not trying to build muscle right now, I am just trying to keep some of what I have, so I lift, just not as heavy.  I also stopped running, besides my Spartan Race, because I was spotting every time I ran.  It's okay if you can't do what you did before.  Your body is working hard to create another human.  That's hard work!!  You will return to your previous fitness level after baby is here.  Even those women who post videos of themselves doing CrossFit at 40 weeks are still not lifting as heavy as they were before pregnancy.  Work with your current fitness level and scale back a little.

2) Take breaks.  I take a lot of breaks during my workouts.  I just get worn out so much faster than I used to, so breaks are necessary.  I pause my DVDs when working out at home and in the yoga studio I take child's pose a lot more often. It's okay.  Remember the hard work of growing a baby? You are allowed to take breaks.  My doctor told me how important it is to listen to my body while working out.  Feeling nauseous or dizzy or are unable to carry on a conversation?  Time for a break!  

3) Take more rest days.  I don't like rest days, but you know what?  I take more now.  I follow my Beachbody workout schedules but it just takes me longer than usual to get through a program.  I really listen to my body.  Some days I can lift and do cardio and go to yoga.  Other days I just need a nap.  Nobody gets a medal for most days spent working out during their pregnancy!  Don't compare your pregnancy to anybody else's pregnancy.  So what if somebody else is doing more.  Every pregnancy is totally different and every person has different energy levels.

4) Hydrate!  This is always important but even more so during pregnancy. When I was feeling sick it was a struggle to drink anything other than ginger ale.  Now I drink a ton of water, especially when I'm at yoga.  Coconut water is very good and hydrating too. My fridge was stocked with coconut water towards the end of my first pregnancy.

Basically the most important thing you can do during your pregnancy is take care of yourself.  Physical activity is so beneficial and you will really feel those benefits post baby.  Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or if you want access to the BOD maternity workouts!  

40 Days - Week 1 Presence

My yoga studio is holding a free 40 Days to Personal Revolution program in honor of their 10 year anniversary.  I decided to sign up for it because 1) It's free, so that's a no brainer and 2) I have been so sick and fatigued with this pregnancy that it has been really easy for me to skip my 7pm yoga class.  So I mostly wanted to sign up to to hold myself accountable.

What is 40 Days?  

The 40 days program is based off the book 40 Days to Personal Revolution by Baron Baptiste (I practice Baptiste yoga which is hot power yoga).  The book is divided up into weeks and each week we have a reading to do followed by some excavation questions.  We have a weekly meeting with the participants (250 people are participating at my studio) where we do group discussions, partner work and work within our small groups.  We also have to practice yoga 5 times per week at the studio and once at home, meditate twice per day, write in a  journal and focus on eating healthy, fresh foods.

Week 1 Presence:

The first week started with a kick-off meeting at the studio.  We were put into small groups where we discussed our reasons for joining 40 days and our goals for the program.  Yoga is such a solitary thing where we arrive, focus on ourselves, practice solo and then leave.  This has been great to meet other people who love yoga as much as I do!  It also made me discover that I had a third reason for joining the program:  meeting more like-minded individuals.  

We were given our assigned reading for the week: 100 pages!  By far the longest reading of the program because the book went into depth on the 12 Laws of Transformation before getting into our weekly theme of presence.  I did not want to do my usual behavior where I wait until the night before to read everything so I actually spread it out over the week and was finished by Thursday.  The book has been pretty interesting so far.  It's not all new age mumbo jumbo, Baptiste really has some insightful information and he draws a lot on both Christianity and Buddhism when he is discussing presence.  Each weekly chapter focuses on the theme of the week, this week is presence, and how we can find presence in yoga, meditation and in our diet.  

The end of the chapter has excavation questions that are designed to get the reader thinking more deeply about presence and to prepare us for week 2:  vitality.  Examples of some of the questions are:  Where in my life am I fully present?  Where in my life am I hiding?  Where in my life am I flirting with disaster?  The idea is that we contemplate all of the questions during the week, journal about them and then discuss them at the next weekly meeting.

So far I am really enjoying this whole program.  The book, questions and meetings have me thinking and doing some self-reflecting that I usually do not do.  The yoga aspect has absolutely held me accountable.  I completed all of my yoga sessions last week and now actually crave yoga more than ever.  I wish I had time to go to multiple classes per day!  I've even fully researched the yoga studios in my upcoming cities of travel (New Orleans and Charlottesville) so I have no excuses when I am on the road.  I am still lifting weights and doing cardio but yoga is my top priority so if I have to skip a workout during the day, I make sure it is not the yoga.  I've also noticed that my yoga practice has improved.  I have become more fluid when we are in flow and I can go deeper into poses.  Of course, I still have to take more breaks that usual since I am pregnant and the heat definitely tires me out more than it did before!  But I can feel myself getting "better" on my mat each class.  My yoga instructors are so inspiring too.  Most of them are participating as different weekly group leaders so they focus on the themes of the week during class.

One thing that has been totally new to me has been meditation.  Prior to this week, I had meditated once, a few weeks ago.  After the 11:30am yoga class on Sundays they offer a 15 minute meditation and I hung around once to try it because I love that particular instructor.  It was...interesting, but I found my mind drifting the whole time.  In this program we have to meditate twice per day.  First starting at 5 minutes and eventually going up to 30!!  I looked up some 5 minute guided meditation podcasts because I was pretty sure I could not just sit there for 5 minutes listening to nothing.  The first couple of times I did the 5 minute meditation, it was a struggle, but by the end of the week I was finding that the time was flying by.  I work on letting go of my thoughts as they come into my head.  Some days it's harder than others, especially if I have a 2 year old and a cat trying to climb on me but I try my best.  I usually do my first meditation some time after breakfast and my second one right before I get ready for bed.  I do find that I am very refreshed after my meditation sessions.  It actually feels like I just woke up from a nap.  I'm not sure how I will ever find the time to get in two 30 minute meditations per day, but I will cross that bridge when I come to it!

I've been trying to journal each night too.  I think last week I managed 5 out of 7 days journaling.  I just use the Notes app on my phone and only take pen to paper when I'm doing the weekly excavation questions in our guidebook.  

On Sunday night we had our weekly meeting where we shared with a partner.  I shared with a girl from my group who has a seriously amazing yoga story.  A few years ago she was in an awful car accident and could not walk.  She was doing physical therapy but it was not doing much for her.  She ended up getting a beginners yoga DVD and all of her yoga healed her better than PT!  Her doctors were shocked!  Now you can't even tell that she had an issues walking before.  Isn't that awesome??

Our meeting also had a bunch of people doing "pop up shares" and sharing with the group their answers to the questions.  We ended it looking forward to week 2:  vitality, and discussing how we can take our answers from the question "Where are you hiding" and turn that into vitality and committing to growth.  

Week 1 I definitely learned that I need to work on being more present in my life.  I am looking forward to seeing what I learn in week 2!  So far so good!  The hardest part so far has been those 10 minute meditations!

Hot Yoga Tips for Newbies

I went to my first yoga class in 2004  After a year of classes, I moved to another city and away from my gym.  This led to a few years away from yoga. It wasn't until 2010 when I found P90X, and its weekly 90 minute yoga workout, that I started to practice again.  My practice was mostly at home, with a few free classes that were offered around the city in 2011.  I loved those free outdoor classes!  Of course during my pregnancy in 2013 I did prenatal yoga but after the pregnancy, I returned to practicing at home.

This past fall I really felt an urge to start practicing at a studio again.  I researched all of the local studios and found a great one only a 10 minute walk from my house.  The only problem was that it was hot yoga and I had never tried hot yoga before.  I wasn't sure I would like the heat and being extra sweaty.  But I gave it a try and am in love!  I've been going regularly for 6 months now.  I average 3 times per week because we travel a lot and I had a period of sickness where I skipped class for 3 straight weeks, but my goal is 5 times per week.

I've had a few people ask me about hot yoga so I thought I would write up some tips for newbies who are curious about venturing into the sweatier side of yoga.

1) Drop expectations

Every yoga studio is different.  Mine has no music or mirrors.  Other studios have both of those.  You have to find the studio with the vibe and community that feels right to you.  Each time I practice at a different studio, or even practice with somebody different at my studio, I learn a pose I didn't know.  Or I will learn new ways to approach a certain pose.  It's OK to not know every pose and to look around to see how it's done.  Nobody cares, trust me.  Everybody is focuses on their breathing and their focal point to worry about what somebody on the next mat is doing.

2)  Get a yoga towel, or three!

I went to my first two classes without a yoga towel and I was slipping and sliding all over my mat.  I honestly had no clue that people even used a yoga towel! They are essential because they keep you from sliding while you are dripping sweat all over.  I love my Lululemon yoga towels.  I have 3 fun colored ones that I rotate.  These towels are the same size as your mat.  When you get to class you put down your mat, cover it with the towel and spray the towel with water so it sticks.  As you sweat on the towel, it stays in place pretty well.  They also have the added benefit of prolonging the life of your yoga mat, which is always a plus.

3)  Hydrate

You will be sweating A LOT.  My classes are 95+ degrees.  Hydration before, during and after is key. I'm usually starving after class, which most times is a sign that I need to chug some water.  Definitely do not go to class without a water bottle.  I have witnessed people not bring any water to class and they spend a lot of time running back and forth to the water fountain.

4) Don't be afraid to take child's pose

Hot yoga is hard.  I think it is much more difficult that it's non-heated counterpart.  I do hot power vinyasa (Baptiste yoga) and sometimes I just need to rest.  Or take a minute to drink some water (I drink a ton during class).  Nobody judges.  Everybody takes child's pose at some point.  Yesterday I had a particularly hard class and took child's pose quite a few times. I wasn't the only one.

If you love yoga, hot yoga is definitely something to try.  It's not for everyone but I personally love the feeling of sweating it all out.  All that sweat is supposed to detox our bodies too, so that's an added benefit.  Since committing to regular hot yoga I have absolutely improved my practice.  I can do poses I never could before, including some that I had never even heard of.  I also really love going to a studio and learning from different teachers.  They all approach the practice in a different way.  I know which instructor will kick my butt with a hard workout.  I know which one will really make me focus on myself and my thoughts.  I know which one encourages play and trying new things whether you fall over or not.  

If you are in the Charlotte area, I highly recommend dropping by my studio for a class.  It's fantastic and I promise you will fall in love!  Yoga one:  www.y1now.com

Spartan Race Tips for Newbies

A little more than a week ago I ran my first Spartan race.  This was something I wanted to do for years but due to physical therapy and a restriction on running, I did not feel I was ready for it until this year.  Before the race I read a lot of articles and joined a Facebook group called Southern Spartans (this group is a fantastic resource for anybody in the South interested in Obstacle Course Racing).  I thought I would take what I learned and my experience as a first timer and write a blog for newbies who have no clue where to start.

What is the Spartan Sprint?

The Sprint is one of three races that make up the Trifecta.  It's the shortest so it makes sense for beginners to start here.  I definitely plan to earn my Trifecta in 2017!  The Sprint is 3-5 miles and 20+ obstacles.  The other two that qualify for the Trifecta are the Super which is 8+ miles/25+ obstacles and the Beast which is 13+ miles and 30+ obstacles.  The race I ran was 5.25 miles and 24 obstacles.  I learned that most races tend to be on the longer side than what Spartan states.  To get an idea of how long the Sprint takes, the average time at my race from the previous year was 2 hours and 15 minutes with the fastest time by the elite male winner at around 50 minutes.  My time was 2:17 and that was done without much running beforehand.  I absolutely expect my next time to be much better.

Training

For my race I started doing the Couch to 10K app about 4 months in advance.  I already did regular cardio and lifting so I just needed to log some miles and needed to ease myself back into running.  I ended up getting extremely sick for 2 months of my training and in the 2 months before the race only ran twice with my longest distance only being 3 miles.  Obviously if I had to do it all over again, I would have run more (like I planned).  One of the guys on my team had only ran 2 miles as his longest run and he managed to survive the race too, so it's possible to do this one without much long distance training.  The longest stretch we ran without an obstacle was a little over a mile at the beginning of the race.  However, you absolutely need endurance to keep running after doing obstacles and/or burpees.  

Trail running is also very important since the race course is usually hilly and through the woods.  Everybody told me how important trail running would be for this race.  It's just a different animal than running through the city or on a treadmill.  My course was on a farm and even the flat ground was full of little holes.  It was described as a flat course in the Spartan world, but we ran up and down hills, through the woods, over logs and in streams.  Trail running really would have come in handy!  My team's coach said most people underestimate the running.  

Upper body strength is also very, very important in these races.  Obstacles include scaling walls (up to 8 feet!), monkey bars, carrying a heavy bucket, carrying a heavy stone, carrying sandbags, rope climbing, etc.  Even though I was consistently lifting for 2.5 years before the race, upper body strength is still a major weakness of mine and it is something I know I need to work on even more next time.  I was obviously not very good at wall climbing, monkey bar type obstacles and ropes.  Thankfully, I had my husband to help me.  Even though other racers can help you over walls, you can never have too much upper body strength for these races!  Dead hangs really help develop grip strength (pull-ups do too, obviously, but not everyone can do those!).  I will work more with dead hangs to prepare for my next race.

Burpees are also key to practice.  Each obstacle you fail you have to do 30!  Going on a run and stopping to do burpees throughout is a great way to mimic parts of the race.  Burpees get really difficult after you've been running and climbing for over an hour.  

In addition to endurance and strength, the biggest thing that's needed during one of these races is mental toughness.  It's one thing to run 5 miles.  It's another thing to do a series of difficult obstacles, to get wet and extremely uncomfortable and still keep running.  I can't wait to do the Super and the Beast and see how those races challenge me.  

What do you need?

Since the Sprint is the shortest, you don't really need to pack a bunch of snacks and a CamelBak.  My race had 3 water stations spread out throughout the course so I never needed any more water.  I ate a Quest bar shortly before the race so I wouldn't end up starving halfway through.  At the end of the race you are handed more water plus a FitAid, plus a Clif bar, banana and beer ticket.  They take care of you at the end!  I did pack some Gu gel chews just in case and ended up eating a pack at the third water station.  I brought gloves to assist with rope climbing but they never ended up coming out of the bag.  I will probably nix the gloves next time.  The rope climb was at the very end, covered in mud so by the time we got there we were frozen and could hardly work our hands so the gloves would not have helped at all.  Obviously, many burpees were done.

Good trail sneakers are also a must.  I saw a few people slide and fall down when running downhill.  I even saw one fall while walking downhill during the bucket carry.  My shoes had such great grip I could run up and down hills without any problems.  I also followed a tip to put some duct tape on the heels of my foot so I would not get any blisters.  I went against advice and wore brand new shoes on race day (thanks to me being too sick to break them in on trail runs) and I did not have any problems at all with blisters or soreness.  The duct tape was amazing.  It held in place despite the water (we ran through a stream pretty much right away) and I did not even notice I had the tape on my feet.

Clothing is also very important on race day.  I repeatedly read people exclaim:  NO COTTON!  So I wore a long sleeved Under Armour cold gear shirt, some Under Armour capris and compression socks.  My race day was very cold and windy but I was completely comfortable in my outfit (until the very end after I was submerged in ice cold water with the wind blowing on me).  Some girls wear short shorts and sports bras...I think that's a little crazy since you crawl under barbed wire.  My race the ground was all rocky.  I'd image if I wore less clothing I would come home with some scrapes and cuts to go along with all of my bruises.

Another seemingly random thing that is good to have with you is mustard.  Mustard helps with muscle cramps.  I grabbed a handful while walking through my mall's food court the night before.  Neither my husband nor myself needed any, but we did give a pack to somebody on the side of the course, rubbing a sore muscle.  So they did come in handy, even if we didn't use any ourselves.  

I go by the motto better safe than sorry.  Between my husband and myself we had 6 Gu gel packs and 4 mustard packs.  On a longer race we would have more supplies (protein bars, other snacks, a CamelBak).

The Spartan Sprint is definitely designed so anybody can finish it.  It's not too crazy long where you need a lot of long distance training runs (like the Beast) and teamwork can help you get through the obstacles.  Everybody is very nice and helpful.  I slipped at the top of my climb up the slip wall and some random man grabbed my hands and hauled me over the top.  It's also a great way to challenge yourself.  If you have been thinking about trying out one of these runs at all, I definitely suggest going for it!  Plus you get a cool medal and a finisher shirt at the end to show off! 

Which Program is Right for You?

People always ask me which program might be right for them, so I thought I would take a few minutes and give a rundown of some of Beachbody's most popular programs.  From losing weight to having fun to gaining muscle, Beachbody really does have a program for everybody.

For people new to either working out and/or eating healthy:

21 Day Fix.  The Fix is a great "starter" program.  It has 30 minute workouts, 7 days per week for 21 days.  All of the workouts have a modifier who really simplifies each move.  Workouts range from cardio to weights to pilates to yoga.  It also comes with portion control containers that help people learn what to eat, according to their goals.  Everyone I know who has done the Fix has had great results from it.  It's also a great program to do if you are somebody who does other fitness activities (such as running or yoga) and you want to incorporate some weights into your routine without spending a lot of time strength training.  This program really takes away all excuses: short workouts that fit into busy schedules, a modifier so anyone of any fitness level can do the program and a fool proof meal plan that teaches you how to eat.  After a few rounds of the Fix, most of my clients move onto 21 Day Fit Extreme, which has 2 meal plans and even more challenging workouts.

For people who want to be challenged in a short amount of time:

P90X3.  Most people have heard of P90X.  P90X3 is a thirty minute version of the popular workout.  It is 30 minutes a day for 90 days.  30 minutes a day means that it will fit into any one's schedule.  It will shred fat and build muscle.  Plus, by the end you will definitely be a master of push ups, as Tony Horton loves to do those.  In addition to the classic schedule, X3 also offers mass, lean and doubles version so you really never get bored with the program.   

For people who need low impact:

PiYo.  This 60 day program is a combination of yoga and pilates.  It's yoga for people who do not like yoga.  The live PiYo classes are set to fun music and keep the moves flowing.  It really works up a sweat and gets your muscles working without any equipment or jumping.  I've seen some great results from the women who have done this program.

For people short on time:

T25.  This program is by Insanity's Shaun T, but it is absolutely not as insane as Insanity.  All of the workouts have a modifier that you can follow to make the moves low impact.  It is also only 25 minutes a day for 60 days.  Everybody has 25 minutes a day!  I have not personally done T25, but I know people who love it.  This will be the program I plan to start with after my next pregnancy when I'm very short on time and need modifications.

For people who want muscle:

Body Beast or P90X.  I love both of these programs!  They are both 90 days and workouts range from 30-60 for Beast and 50-90 for P90X.  The main difference between the 2 is that Beast is solely focused on lifting weights (with one cardio day per week if you chose the lean option) and P90X has cardio, weights and a yoga day.  There is also a P90X/runners hybrid online that is fantastic for runners looking to gain strength.  It really works well with running since the strength days are only 3 times per week.  P90Xers usually move on to P90X2 upon completion (that is the P90X and P90X3 graduate program).  Both of these programs can also easily be taken to the gym on strength days.  I've done both at the gym many times while traveling.  

For people already in shape who want to go beast mode:

Insanity Max 30.  This is the 30 minute version of the Insanity program.  Let me tell you, it will kick your butt!  You might think you are in shape until you try to keep up with Shaun T!  In this program you keep track of your "max out" time aka the time where you were no longer able to keep up with Shaun and then you try to improve upon that time during your next workout.  It's all body weight so you do not need any equipment at all.  I promise you, by the end of 30 minutes you will be dripping sweat.

For people who want to have fun while working out:

CIZE or TurboFire.  CIZE is Shaun T's month long dancing program.  It's really fun and you don't even notice you are working out!  TurboFire is created by Chalene (she's also responsible for PiYo).  Think if kickboxing and dancing had a baby, that would be Turbo!!  You may have heard of, or taken, the live version called TurboKick.  This is the same idea, just in your own home.  Whenever I don't feel like working out, I through in a Turbo workout and it gets me moving and smiling.  Sometimes you just need a fun way to break a sweat!

That is just a snippet of the programs available.  Of course, Beachbody has many more, but I think these are a good place to start if you have one of the particular goals I mentioned above.  I try to match a person up to a program that I think will help them reach their goals and that I think they will be able to stick to.  Drop a comment or send me a message if you have any questions.  You can also try out Beachbody On Demand for 30 days for free to try out everything I mentioned above, just let me know and I will hook you up.