Category: Sweat and the City

Feeling the BURN

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The popular and effective Eagle Rock workout, completeBURN, is finally moving west and setting up shop at the swanky Mondrian hotel on Sunset Blvd. in West Hollywood.

I had a chance to attend the media preview on Tuesday and have had trouble walking ever since. CompleteBURN, created by Leah Purcell, is a high intensity interval-training program that uses bodyweight, kettlebells, and a stability step with resistance band to torch calories and skyrocket your heart rate.

Photo by Josh Reiss ( http://JoshReiss.com )

Photos by Josh Reiss ( http://JoshReiss.com )

Although we were going through a shortened class, I was dripping sweat about two minutes in and it never slowed down. Our class sampled each of the three classes that will be offered: power bodyweight, power weighted, and core.

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Eight fun chances to get sweaty in March

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Happy first day of March, Angelenos! It’s now two months into 2016 and I’m sure we’ve all had some ups and downs with our New Year’s resolutions. Thankfully, there are plenty of fun ways to get sweaty all around the city this month. Grab a friend and get into the fitness spirit!

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I tried the Megaformer and here’s what happened

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Allow me to introduce this post by saying that for one year I begged and pleaded that my best friend Colleen make the leap and switch from a regular gym membership to ClassPass. Thankfully, as a ClassPass ambassador, we were given a free month to gift to a friend as a holiday present. I immediately texted Colleen and let her know that now she really had to start because her first month would be free!

The timing was perfect; she was on winter break and had plenty of time to try out the Atlanta fitness scene. I immediately recommended that she try a megaformer class—the one workout that promises to make my muscles shake no matter how often I go.

Read on to find out what happened from her perspective…

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Swing + Sip Event Recap

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Swing and Sip was a success!

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On Friday night, I hosted an event at AIR Los Angeles that turned out to be the perfect girls night.

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Guests arrived around 6:30 and Lindsey, AIR owner, led us through a mixture of tough exercises with fun aerial moves filtered in. I’m pretty sure I can speak for the crowd that “air” burpees are even worse than regular burpees.

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Although it was a Friday night and the crowd was a little tired, as time went on everyone got chattier and more daring on the silks. Nothing like a few flips and falls to get a group of women quickly giggling together. We learned how to hang upside down and flow through a mini routine that had us all feeling like aerialists.

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Once the sweaty part was over, Crystal introduced the three wines we would taste. Crystal is the mastermind behind the company Sip Wines Online that sends perfectly curated trios of sustainable wine right to your doorstep. These packages make perfect gifts for parents, hosts, and even brides!

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The wine was absolutely delicious and her choices did not disappoint!

My husband decided to join the party later on and even tried his hand at the silks! Even more laughs were had as he not so gracefully maneuvered his way into some pretty tricky poses. I’m so impressed by his efforts and always love having his support at my events!

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All in all I’d say this was one of my favorite Sweat and Repeat events because of the relaxed atmosphere. It’s been such a fun journey to be able to meet so many awesome women in Los Angeles who also lead healthy lifestyles but know how to have fun!

Look out for future event invites on my Instagram, @sweatandrepeatLA.

Thanks to Bethany and Glam Packed for the gorgeous pictures, Lindsey at AIR for the venue and class, and Crystal from Sip Wines Online for the vino!

SoulCycle x Target Pop Up

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In partnership with Target, SoulCycle has been bringing its heart pumping classes to the masses—for free. For the last month, these classes have been literally popping up in ten cities all over the US, including Miami, DC, Seattle, Nashville, Minneapolis, Chicago, and of course, LA.

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For three days, Soul Cycle bikes take over a super cool space in each city, offering local residents a shot at spinning with the best!

The pop-ups also allow riders a special chance to shop the exclusive SoulCycle + Target collaboration that includes a sweatshirt + sweatpants and a tank with the famous Soul wheel logo. There’s also a variety of the C9 by Champion gear—Target’s line of active wear—well, more like athleisure with how cute it is.

I had the opportunity to check out a class this past Saturday in the penthouse of the downtown AT&T Center that offers incredible views of LA. The experience was exactly what I would expect of both brands—seamless check in, great swag, and countless insta-worthy photo ops.

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For 45-minutes we tapped it back and spun like crazy—per SoulCycle fashion—to awesome beats with an even better view. It threw me off a bit to spin in broad daylight because I love being able to close my eyes and really get into the moment, but the energy in the room and from the instructor made up for it.

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On the way out, we were given a swag bag with a Suja juice, KIND bar, and coupon for $5 off some c9 gear!

Thank you to SoulCycle and Target for an incredible event and for choosing such a picture-perfect spot to sweat!

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When in LA, do as the Angelenos do

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One of the best things about living in LA is how easy it is to convince people to visit. When I moved here, friends were lining up to get a spot on my calendar, eager to leave the cold and enjoy our never-ending sunshine! After hosting a variety of visitors, I’ve put together my top five things to do with fitness enthusiast friends.

1. Go for a hike. This one might go without saying since it’s so rare to have an ugly day in LA; spend time outside! My two favorite hikes are Runyon Canyon (great for people watching and not too long) and the Hollywood sign hike (about six miles but you get amazing views of the city and, of course, the sign!).

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2. Grab yogurt at Go Greek. If you follow me on Insta you can probably tell that I am OBSESSED with this place. They offer authentic Greek yogurt and frozen Greek yogurt topped with fresh fruits and sweet honey. The yogurt is packed with protein and probiotics so you don’t feel too guilty afterwards! This is also a Kardashian favorite so your guests are likely to do some celeb spotting, too.

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3. Check out an LA exclusive workout. We are #blessed with so many great places to sweat in this city and your guests are bound to love them. Some of my favorites that you can’t find elsewhere are Speedplay LA, Rise Nation, Cycle House, Sandbox Fitness, and Lagree Fitness Studio. Many even have a “first class free” option!

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4. DIY photoshoot. LA is also known for its colorful walls that make gorgeous backgrounds for pictures. My favorites are the pink wall on Melrose and the LOVE wall in Culver City. You can find a list of some of the popular options here. It’s a great way to tour the city while filling your feed with likeable images.

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5. Eat healthy. Most people think vacations are a time to binge eat fried food (I’m not going to completely disagree), but in LA there’s no reason to go crazy on snacks that will make you feel sluggish because we have so many delicious healthy options. I recommend trying local juice places and acai bowls. My favorites are LA Juice, Kreation, Nekter and Backyard Bowls (pictured below). If you’re in the mood for savory restaurant options, check out Gracias Madre and Café Gratitude—both vegan and super trendy.

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Whether you take my advice or not, your guests are bound to have an incredible trip to the City of Angels!

Have any must-sees that I missed? Share the wealth and comment below!

In-Home Massage with Zeel (or 75 min of pure bliss)

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It’s official; I found the ideal Sunday night set up. After a weekend full of aerial, hot yoga, and hiking, my body was in need of some major R&R. Enter: Zeel.

IMG_4075Just like Uber for rides, Fitspot for personal training, and GlamSquad for blowouts, Zeel brings a massage therapist right to your doorstep. Whether you’re at home, staying the night in a hotel, or need a break from your desk job, Zeel is at your service.

Simply open the app and request an appointment. From a relaxing Swedish massage, to a targeted deep tissue massage, or a sports massage perfect for sore muscles, you can choose to unwind solo or as a couple.

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The app also allows you to clarify if you prefer a male or female masseuse and offers three durations: 60, 75, and 90 minutes.

Once you’ve provided your info, time frame availability, and payment, you simply press book! An 18% tip is already included in the price so there’s no need to stress about cash or do any mental math in your state of bliss.

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A few minutes after booking I was sent a confirmation text with my time and therapist details and then confirmed via the app. In order to be approved for your first appointment, you must verify either the last four digits of your SSN or take a pic of your ID to prove you’re legit and help ensure the safety of the therapist.

My massage was set for 8:00 pm so I lit some candles, poured myself a glass of wine, and started winding down. When my therapist, Marisol, arrived I had two sheets and pillowcase ready. If you don’t have sheets, let them know ahead of time and they will provide for a small fee.

After setting up the table, she headed into my bathroom while I got undressed and under the sheet. She turned off the lights and played some soft, soothing music through her speaker as I spent 75 minutes experiencing pure relaxation. Marisol was so kind and professional and I soon forgot that I was in my own living room and not a five-star spa.

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Once time ended, Marisol excused herself so I could get dressed. She then quickly packed up the equipment and said goodbye (ok, fine, after we sat on the couch and I showed her my wedding album…but I’m a weirdo). Instead of heading out into traffic and finding my way home, the only movement I had to do was refill my glass and get cozy on the couch. It was absolutely MAGICAL!

Zeel Massage On Demand is available in Boston, Chicago, the SF Bay Area, Southern California, South Florida, and the NYC Tri-State Area – with additional locations coming soon.

Use the Code SweatRepeat for $25 off your first massage!

There are also a few upcoming specials to take advantage of:

Valentine’s Day–$30 off a couples massage pre-booked between 2/1 and 2/11 and taken during Valentine’s Day Weekend (Friday, 2/12 through Monday, 2/15). Use code VDAY2016. If you book between those days you will be automatically entered to win a free couples massage. 10 winners will be picked!

Single? That’s ok too! Saturday 2/13 through Monday, 2/15: $15 off for existing customers with code PDW2016. (New customers use code SweatRepeat for $25 off anytime!)

Sweat and Repeat gets LIT Recap

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There’s a new studio in town that I’m crushing on: LIT Method. Their motto is “We build you, we don’t break you” because they promise a killer low impact workout that’s guaranteed to make you sweat without hurting your body.

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I love this place so much that about 10 minutes into my first workout on opening day, I decided the next Sweat and Repeat event must happen here.

So it did!

The owners Taylor and Justin are some of the friendliest people I have ever met and they were thrilled to open their studio to my readers.

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Vimmia and sweetgreen were in on the fun too—giving each guest a gorgeous pair of leggings (that you can buy here) + headband and a seasonal salad.

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Throughout the 50-minute sweat session, we rotated between the rower and the floor. On the rower we sprinted, rowed side-to-side to work our obliques, and even did bicep curls. Rowing is an awersome cardio exercise because it gets your heart rate up quickly but doesn’t harm your joints.

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Floor work included planks, mountain climbers, and squats—sometimes with the added challenge of the resistance bands and straps.

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Best part is? Every class ends with foam rolling! So you’re basically giving your sore muscles a mini massage after getting your butt kicked.

Once we finished, we all headed out to enjoy lunch on the gorgeous patio.

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Thank you to everyone who came out—I had so much fun sweating together and then cracking up over “Rockettes” inspired pictures to show off our gorgeous new athleisure wear 😉

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Thank you to LIT Method, Vimmia, and sweetgreen!

Shout out and huge thanks to Thira from The Daily Dorothy for taking all of the gorgeous pictures!

Want to get LIT? Sign up for a class here. They’re also on ClassPass!

Easy Peasy Protein Balls

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I’m always looking for a nutritious treat on the go and haven’t exactly found the protein bar that tickles my taste buds (any suggestions??). I want a quick and easy snack to eat before a workout and something to munch on that’s relatively guilt free. I headed into my kitchen to see what I could whip up.

With just the ingredients in my cupboards (if I have them, I’m convinced you will too), I created the yummiest little protein ball that will help curb your hunger and give you an extra kick to get you through even the toughest Barry’s class.

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You’ll need:

1 cup rolled oats
¼ cup chia seeds
¼ cup chocolate flavored protein powder (optional)
2 tablespoons of honey
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
½ cup of almond butter (or any kind of nut butter)
Spoonful of Nutella (optional)

Put all ingredients in a bowl and blend together. I used my hands at first (it was really sticky) and then moved to a spoon.

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Once ingredients are well mixed, put the bowl in the fridge and chill for twenty minutes.

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Roll chilled mixture into one-inch balls. Place in Tupperware and store in fridge. Yields about 12 balls.

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You can always swap the Nutella for chocolate chips, cacao nibs, or dried fruit to add some sweetness. If you notice that the mixture is dry, add some more nut butter. If the mixture seems too sticky, add some more of the dry ingredients.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from posts I found here, here, and here in order to create a yummy protein ball with ingredients already in my kitchen!

Chipotle Turkey Chili Recipe

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In case you can’t tell based on my Instagram and common blog post topics, I am not a good cook…or even a cook. Instead of meal prepping and spending time in the kitchen I tend to go for grab and go options and am a master of the smoothie.

However, even I can’t get away from the delicious #foodporn all over social media. One of my besties, Kara, is a master in the kitchen—and actually knows how to use all of her wedding registry gifts unlike me who uses them as decoration. She recently posted a turkey chili recipe that looked so divine that I begged her to share.

My husband is a total chili lover and there’s nothing better than something warm on a cold winter day (and yes, it is now officially winter in LA too!).

Although this recipe can be made with ground beef, we’ve swapped the beef for organic ground turkey as an easy way to reduce calories and cut down on fat and saturated fat without sacrificing any taste. Bon Appétit!

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