The community that my studio provides is hands down amazeballs! My girl, Kristen, brought in juice & champs...mimosa time!
For which Christina popped the bottle towards the wall....just missing our kick butt teacher, Amanda
Cheers to 250!!!!
So an update on where I'm at today versus where I was back in July when I hit 100.
1. I can do a full on split!
2. I have gained 2 inches in my biceps....not sure if that's a good thing or bad thing ;)
3. I have lost 1 inch off of each thigh
4. My endurance during class has drastically improved - I can hold positions longer, push through the shake & the burn, and I can tell when my form is not correct.
5. I have definition in my legs and stomach that I have never seen before.
I am comfortable in my clothes again. I am comfortable wearing shorts & skirts again....and can finally rock a tank top without feeling ridiculously self conscious.
Am I where I want to be? No.
Am I giving myself grace? Yes.
I am still doing my 5:30am workouts at the studio. I will be incorporating their new PLATFORM class beginning this month! The extra cardio will definitely help maximize my efforts & bring about more changes.
Pure Barre fits my life right now. I know many other ladies out there that choose to workout at home, and at this stage in my life, it's not in the cards. When I'm home, I'm focused on the boys & my job - - - Murphy's Law reigns true in my household. My body is finally accustomed to my 4:40am alarm....so that 21 days to a new habit business is not accurate for me!
So tell me, do you barre? What's your choice of workout? Home or studio / gym?
If you've been reading the blog lately, or following me on Instagram, you know I'm an avid Pure Barre-er.....today, I hit the mother load. I hit the 100 class mark!
When I purchased the Pure Barre Groupon back in September of 2014, while pregnant with Brooks....getting my pre-baby body back was on the forefront of my mind. (Seriously, what is wrong with me!? Why wouldn't I be wondering about the getting baby out part, or lack of sleep, etc....). I had dabbled with barre workouts before...even have a barre at my house; but there was a certain allure to physically attending a barre class, rather than working out to dvd's at home.
Once the baby arrived in October, I had some time to re-evaluate my purchase. I tried working out at home...especially since I have all the tools I need....but it wasn't as successful as I had hoped. I had been through this before, so I thought that working off the baby weight from the second baby would be a walk in the park. I didn't stop to consider that I would now have TWO children to tend with: a toddler & a newborn. So in December, I figured I would use this Groupon that was almost near expiration & see what the big difference is between dvd's at home & attending a class.
I will never forget my first class. I rocked an oversized tee from Victoria's Secret PINK and some yoga pants....trying to mask the 2 month post baby belly. I went in with a mixture of fear & confidence....knowing the moves were not totally unfamiliar, yet having so much doubt in myself that I could bounce back to prebaby size, needless to say even do this workout in a studio with people watching. From the moment class started until class ended, I was dripping in sweat, cursing my thighs, and yet wanting MORE. It was the week of Christmas, so the classes were not full since most people were travelling / gearing up for the holidays. (Not that the 5:30am class is ever jam packed.) I went 3 times that week and knew I had developed an addiction to something other than shopping.
My husband didn't understand at first when I told him how I wanted to jump in with a membership when my Groupon expired. He has always supported my fitness endeavors....especially when I would run ridiculous amounts on my treadmill & be the worst grump if I didn't hit my mileage for the week. And even buying me my own barre for home use 2 years ago when I first fell in love with barre workouts. But this endeavor he didn't understand since I "have what I need at home to workout". While I do have the equipment I don't have the push, the drive, or the escape that the studio provides. (MattyB fully supports me & my health, in case you are wondering. You can read about his support HERE when he took the Bring On the Men class!)
The 5:30am class has been an absolute joy these past 7 months. The encouragement, push, & kudos during class are what I need at this point in my life. I need to leave my house for a workout in order to get it done! I love my boys, but the time away allows me 55 minutes to focus on just me. No distractions, no phones, no demanding toddlers, just me. No, I don't enjoy waking up at 4:40am. There is nothing cute about 4:40am...I have never been a morning person! But I do it for the love of the workout & how it jump starts my day...plus it's the only time of day that works for my family & I without disruptions. (Unless Brooks is wanting to party at 2am....then it becomes a matter of dragging myself to class!).
So today was a HUGE mile marker in my Pure Barre journey. I completed 100 classes and go to sign THE bar. The bar that I see every time I'm at the studio...with the sign "100 club".
As my husband would say: "So what does that mean???"
It means I got to sign THE bar:
It means I have lift, toned, & burned 100 times.....and lived to tell about it. It means I have lost 11 pounds since I started in December. It means I have lost 13 inches combined from my waist, hips, & chest.
It means I can hold a plank for 90 seconds. It means I now have this elite gear to add to my workout wardrobe:
It means I have developed some awesome friendships with some ladies I would have otherwise not met. It means that I have come to realize I need to be healthy in order to raise healthy boys. It means I have developed an obsession for barre gear (sticky socks, leggings, and cute tops saying something like "see you at the barre"). It means that I have overcome lots of self doubt & tried something new. It means I have realized the number on the scale is not how strong I am, how good of a mother / wife I am, or what to base my value on.
To anyone on the fence about trying out Pure Barre, do it!
Be sure to check out my intro post to Pure Barre!
A photo posted by nicole brinson (@fashionablyniki) on
We arrived to class about 15 minutes early & were greeted by the fab owner, Jamie - - - love her! And a ridiculous amount of people!!!! The studio was packed!!! (I'm used to the ungodly hour of 5:30am classes....with maybe 12 peeps, tops.)
I got us set up & then we sat & waited to begin....taking in all the sites....
MattyB & his guys normally dress in costume for things (thrift store plaid pants & home grown staches for a golf outing, old man jogger shorts & crop tops for softball tournaments, etc) so I was in no way surprised to see some dudes in some flashy barre gear ;)
I think I was expecting more instruction for the men - but class was normal as always! Same fast pace, and cueing.
Didn't take long for me to start laughing....
Matt was still wearing his socks at this point :)
Kicked off with our thigh workouts...as normal....
More thigh workout...and MattyB trying to figure out what the heck to do. (He could just follow me, but whatever....)
More thighs...and notice Matt's socks are gone :) He said it was too slippery, lol.
We went from thighs to stretching to rear workout to stretching to abs to final stretching.
(Sorry no pictures!)
After class, there was a little socializing with some finger foods & alcohol :) lol! And of course a group picture!
I drilled Matt after class on what he thought. In my mind, I was hoping he would have a greater appreciation for my workout regimen & a respect for how difficult it is. Even when I broached him attending class with me his response was "I hate yoga!!!" - - - um, THIS ISN'T YOGA!!! :)
Since he was complaining of being sore a few days after class, I think he got more of a workout than what he was anticipating.
Happy holiday weekend FRIDAY!!!! Can I get a WOOP, WOOP!?
So stinkin' excited for the weekend to be here.
For the fashion aspect of today's post....I have been living in my barre gear lately. Like dirtball, head to work, straight after class (even though I go home first to get the boys). So a few "staple" pieces to at least make me look presentable:
1. Zella sweater - - > this sweater is SOOO lightweight. Just gives you that coverage to make you feel like you aren't showing everything. Plus it has thumbholes. Thumbholes just make any outfit complete ;)
2. On the Mark necklace - - I live in this necklace....literally. I wear it with everything. I think it's a mixture of how cute it is but also the meaning of the arrow. It's always a great reminder to see when I look in the mirror at barre class.
(Shoot me an email if you want more info on this bracelet!)
For the fitness aspect of today's post...I was recently asked to share more on my fitness regimen by Petro over at ETB Fit. ETB is just starting up....I invite you to go check out the philosophy behind the brand HERE.
What foods do you eat pre-workout?
Well, when I've been "good" & prepped my meals, I normally 'eat on the go'. I have a 15 minute drive to my Pure Barre studio at the ungodly hour of 5am. Since I sleep until the very last minute, I have to have food that is literally grab.and.go! So my 3 go to items are: hard boiled eggs, almond butter quinoa bars, & english muffin with almond butter. I am normally famished come the middle of class, so even if I'm not "hungry", I normally force myself to eat something during my drive.
What do you listen to during your workout?
Whatever the Pure Barre mix is for the day!!! If I'm lucky to get a workout in at home with my animals kiddos, I normally am not able to wear headphones.....so I listen to them playing, or screaming, or crying.....
How do you switch up certain routines daily / weekly to stay motivated?
Motivation has not been an issue for me lately. The variety of Pure Barre workouts has been amazing. It's entirely different from when I ran 24/7....and did the occasional Physique 57 workout or Ballet Physique. The camaraderie at the studio, encouragement by the instructors & just the FUN of the workouts, keeps me so motivated & interested in the workouts. Plus no 2 workouts are exactly the same. Even if I went every day Sunday through Saturday, not one of the 55 minute sessions would be the exact same. Variety is the spice of life ;)
What do you eat or do after your workout to make sure you got the most out of your workout?
I recently discovered the importance of this!!! I am so happy to share :) So as soon as I get home, I make a PWO shake. I am totally addicted to the CLICK brand's Caramel one. So yummy!!! I just put 12 oz of water in my shaker, 2 scoops of the mix & shake, shake, SHAKE! I used to mix it with Almond Milk, but I prefer the water. I also recently started using BCAA's. I haven't quite found a favorite though....the ones I have tried are wayyyyyy sweet, so what should take me minutes to drink, takes me an hour :/ I'm currently using THIS brand.
So I drink my protein shake while I'm making my breakfast. I am a creature of habit, my breakfast is always 2 eggs & lots of spinach! I can go through 2 cartons of bulk spinach in a week, easy. Along with an 18 pack of eggs. MattyB on the other hand, thinks it's ridiculous :)
I also take my multivitamin.....which I loathe taking pills....so this is huge. I was introduced to the FitMiss brand by the fab Kate Horney - so I take their vitamins. FitMiss also has their own protein shakes....I use their Chocolate flavor one to annihilate my sweet tooth. It's awesome for making a brownie batter shake & a chocolate mug cake.
Something to note....you have to enjoy your workout. If you don't enjoy it, you won't stay motivated....especially if you are not seeing any "results". Speaking of results....stop letting the scale determine those results! Take your measurements....notice how your clothes fit....and even pat yourself on the back if you made the choice to NOT have a coke today. It's small changes over time that make lasting results! There is no quick fix. It's hard work & determination!
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen my progress check in. But here you go if you missed it ;)
I have been an avid supporter of barre workouts for years. I have done both Physique 57 and Ballet Physique workouts at my home, using my beloved ballet barre that my husband got for me. Normally, I would have no problem sticking with these lovely workouts - but I need the accountability.
At this point in my life, now being mom of 2, I need that extra push for myself. I found myself not prioritizing my workout time. So when Living Social posted a deal for 10 classes at a local barre studio, I was all over that like white on rice. (Ahem, brown on rice....to be healthier.)
Enter my new found love for Pure Barre.
I just attended my 8th class. I started just under 1 month ago, and I have lost 1 inch off of my waist, hips, & chest. Incentive to continue? I think so! (Once I tailor my nutrition, I foresee more changes coming!)
The teachers at the studio I attend are awesome. Sometimes the music does get a little loud and it's hard to decipher the cuing....so when that happens I pretty much resort to "tucking" or "lifting"....haha! When in doubt, tuck!
Here is some random information regarding attending a class near you....
No you do not have to have had ballet training to take a class! Yes, you use the ballet barre, but there are no plies or arabesques. Just a lot of lifting, tucking, & BURNING! Burning = muscle building....so that is GOOD! Go with the lighter weights! Don't fool yourself....just because they say they weigh 2 pounds, they will feel like 50 pounds by about half way through the arms section. GO LIGHT! If it's your first class, skip the extra weight altogether! (Your teacher may even recommend this.) Barre workouts are all about fatiguing the muscles, and then stretching them immediately.
You HAVE to wear sticky socks. You may think they are optional, but they aren't. The studio mandates it. You will be glad for that regulation, both for hygiene & stability. I found this cute company that makes the cutest sticky socks....TOESOX go check 'em out!
You will not look like a dancer after 1 class, 5 classes, 10 classes, etc. If you're trying to transform in to the beautiful ballerina, well you're setting yourself up for a huge letdown. Not that you won't change your physique, but most dancers train for 8 hours a day - - it's their full time job. Instead focus on shaving off a few inches off of your waistline. Pay attention to how your clothes start fitting....how your need for Spanx may not be a "need" anymore. And tailor your eating habits to compliment your new found workout regimen.
You are not going to nail the form on day 1. Like anything else, the form with barre workouts takes lots of practice. This may not apply to everyone, but for the majority it will. I have seen some avid "barre-ers" where I go....lean & long ladies, who are still being corrected on form during class. Face it, when your thighs are twitching & you're supposed to be lifting 'up an inch & down an inch' - - remembering to keep your shoulders down and pelvis tucked is not at the forefront of your mind. Oh yes, your legs will twitch.
The burning sensation is normal. Unlike most of life's situations, this burning sensation is welcome & an indication that you're burning off calories!
Don't wear shorts..... Ain't nobody wanna see that.
As with any workout program, results vary from individual to individual. Optimal results are seen with combining a healthy & nutritious diet. By diet I mean eating habits.....a lifestyle change.
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