I have been desperate to incorporate strength training into my healthy living routine since it’s so good for your bones, gives you a hot bod, and burns fat like mad. But, my aversion to weight machines and my infidelity with free weight exercises have made it difficult for me to find a way to commit to strength training and really see results! Previously, I have considered yoga to be my strength workout (specifically Ashtanga) but even though there are tons of strengthening poses, we all know that it isn’t quite to the same caliber of lifting weights!
Since she came home for the summer, my best friend Dominique has been attending Body Pump. I’m proud to say that Body Pump is yet another amazing thing to come out of New Zealand! Basically, Body Pump is a strength training class where you lift weights to pop music with synchronized movements. Dominique raves about how empowering it is and how she has seen results! It didn’t take too much convincing for me to join Dominique at a Body Pump class, but I won’t lie, I was nervous! Nervous that I wouldn’t know what to do or that it would be way to hard for me.
But, I was pleasantly surprised! First, we collected our equipment, which was the most stressful part of the entire class. After Dominique helped me, it was really quite simple! You need to grab a bar and collect the weights you need to make a lighter set of weights and a heavier set of weights. The instructor will indicate to you when to use your heavier weights or your lighter weights. Since it was my first class, I stuck with two each of the smallest weight and the middle weight. The moves were not complicated at all, the class was really easy to follow, and it was actually a lot less intense than I had expected. But boy was I sore the next day! It was exactly what I was looking for! It really was fun to lift weights to music – the synchronicity of the moves to the beat is really exciting! And it’s great having an instructor to remind me of good form and to keep me motivated. I’m hooked!
So what else has been going on in my life? Last weekend I went to my Grandfather’s lake house to finally spend time with my family. Did you know that I have 12 cousins? I got to see 11 of them, but I was SO happy to meet my new baby cousin, Reese!
She turned three months old on the 4th of July. What a little angel! It was a rough weekend for me since it was the first time I had been with the whole family since my Nanny passed, but at the same time in spite of that/because of that, I had never been so happy to see everyone!
At home, I’ve been doing a lot of cooking! Last night I made stuffed portabella pizzas from Oh She Glows.
They were really simple and really delicious!
I have been feeling a little bit under the weather with migraines and severe sleepiness, but last night I slept for over 10 hours, so hopefully I’m all set. But to feel better while I’ve stayed at home the past few days, trying to relax, I’ve been watching my newest guilty pleasure: The Bachelorette:
It’s awesome. I knew that as soon as I started watching it, I would become addicted, and I was right! I can’t get enough!! Some of the guys are so cute, the elaborate dates are so pretty to watch, and I am positively beside myself as I watch all the mistakes she makes. HAHAHAHAHA!
While I spend my afternoons taking advantage of my free month of Hulu Plus, I spend my mornings at the gym! Today I went to yoga, then did some cardio on the treadmill and elliptical, and finished off my morning at a pilates class. I was really looking forward to my morning at the gym today because last night I got my first birthday present…
New Asic running shoes!
They are way more cushioned than my old pair New Balance running shoes that I got at Marshall’s 
It’s hard to tell from this picture, but my favorite feature is that the laces are off-center, placed where your foot naturally moves! How cool is that! I broke them in today and I’m excited to see where we go together!
In other news, it’s almost my birthday and apparently the celebrations begin today! Dominique is picking me up today at 5:30 for some secret location. I can’t wait! I’m going to go curl my hair…
Have you ever tried Body Pump?
I don’t get homesick very easily because I am anything but a homebody, and I’m very independent. But I’ve been yearning to be back home for some reason.
