I missed classed today :(

Due to lack of slack and my older son's baseball game, I was unable to attend my Pure Barre Class today... here is my crying like a baby...

I am committing myself to some kind of exercise everyday so now would be the time that I would get to try out one of my Pure Barre DVDs.... This is where you think oh my they have DVDs too and of course she would have them!! yup I do.. All of them... :) I even have my own little cute red Pure Barre Ball!

Well the workout started just as I expected and I was totally excited!!! I know this warm up but then changed just a little bit.... the dvd (16th Street:1) using a double band. It is two tight bands that are joined together like an 8... ok this is cool.. you put them around your ankles as I suspected to create some resist.. things were going as planned until we got to the plank.. oh no the dreaded plank.. I started to cringe just thinking about.... and then the instructor says we will be here for 30 seconds.. ok my first thought was before a change.. Nope it was 30 seconds.. What.. No!! I want my 90 second plank now!! I almost had the nerve to pause it!! yeah..then a 30 second normal plank.. I almost felt like a child wanting to throw a little fit kicking and screaming! so then on to the dreaded triceps dips that weren't so bad either because the plank was alto shorter or the dips, maybe both! Oh well on to what would normally be the weight section but here they use the band which would be great if you were traveling since it is light weight and you could carry it with you! I used the band a bit but then picked up my weight.. Once again it was lacking the Pure Barre intensity that you get in class that makes you sweat within the first 5 minutes... Ok well warm-up is over.... Let's see what Thighs have to offer!!

During Thigh in class my body is crying... my thigh muscles only have to hear the word chair and they fatigue... seriously.. In the dvd they tell you to go to your support system, like a chair or wall, to being thigh.. Once again they used the double tube and I found it somewhat useless but it have just a little bit of extra resistance.. If you have larger thighs though the tube is not going to fit.. yeah mine barely did.. We started off with a thigh that I know from class but it was just lacking something... what it was like 1/2 the normally time of what just one thigh exercise is... the next thigh I knew and they also used the band.. this I like with the band because it gave a little bit of resistance that gave you more of a workout... the last one... another we have done in class.. All three were good but if I do this one again.. I will do them for twice and long...

Seat.. Once again.. 2 exercises I know.. Both used the band and I found it of no point for the first one.. I mean I don't know any resistance would help that because of your position.. The second one though.. Yeah the band just gave you that little extra...

Abs... well once again the band.... WOOH Killer Abs just like in class.. well almost.. I miss my round back, flat back series!!! But by doing that tape I learned that when we are doing our center work in class... I don't really have to hold on for dear life like I have been to the back of my thighs...

Lower back and then a stretch.. Now on to the Final Stretch.. How now.. where is my back dancing!!!

So when it was all said and done the DVD was supposed to be 45 minutes and it was only 35.. my typical calories burn during a Studio Pure Barre workout of 55 Minutes where I leave looking like I have taken a shower 400+ calories.. The DVD 35 minutes, no shower needed and 178 calories.. I will be dragging myself to class early in the AM hours no matter how much sleep I got if I have a ballgame or another event with one of my kids in the afternoon!!

For beginners to Pure Barre, yes I have only been going a little over a month and I am not a beginner, it is a good tape.. I mean you really don't know what to expect if you haven't been to a class before.... It did give good instruction and it was easy to follow.. What is was missing.... The Bubbly Red Bull Loaded Pure Barre instructors I have grown to tolerate, I say tolerate because we all know with any kind of exercise instructor it is a love/hate relationship with them… we hate them while our muscles are burning and ripping off our bodies, but we love them when we look in the mirror!!, the music that gets you going and that Pure Barre Burn…. I guess something is better than nothing and when I have to use the DVDs again I will try one of the others or modify this one… I am starting to think I might be becoming a Pure Barre Snob… Every other word out of my mouth is Pure Barre this Pure Barre that.. I even went one and one about it today after I got a massage and think I convinced the lady there she needed to come check it out and send all of her clients there that complain about how they can’t work out at the gym because of their joints…

I will be taking them on travel with me when I go if there is not a Pure Barre in the area.. Pure Barre go to St Louis, MO!!! J

Lift.Tone.Burn… That is all what Pure Barre is about and in class I feel the burn.. oh do I feel the burn…. Well tomorrow is a new day and I know I can make it to the Pure Barre Studio for my daily Burn!! I can’t wait!!!! Until then……

My First Month is Over!!

Today marked the end of my first month of Pure Barre..
In one month I was able to attend 20 classes which included that Ab intensive class on the 1st day of spring.. It was a killer!! 75 minutes of Pure Barre!! I am ready for the next one..

Well in one month I have seen the change and become a believer. I had instructor ask me after about 12 classes if I had noticed any changes yet.. Oh yeah!! the biggest thing for my I notice is my inner Thigh.. yes I said inner Thigh. You not that horrible place that woman can't make smaller once it becomes bigger!! I have notice a change there!! I should run now and schedule all my classes for the next 3 months because they are going to fill up fast now that the secret is out! That is not all.. My thighs are getting thinner, my calves more defined and my upper arms...Well bring on tank top season!

Two I can honestly say is the first day that I have thought.. I really don;t want to go to Pure Barre Yesterday.. You see yesterday I had this bright idea that I would go train with MikeE and then go to Pure Barre.. back to back... yeah yeah not one of my better ideas! With MikeE we worked arms and Abs... so Pure Barre worked my lower section and Abs so it was a total body workout for me for about an hour and a half yesterday. Today however was a struggle...
After working out arms I never realized how much we really use our arms in Pure Barre... pulling off of the barre to do thighs.. wow hello shoulders and biceps.. The warm up was of course challenging as always..

So back to today.. My triceps hurt like they haven't hurt in a while and getting out of a chair where my abs have to move... Ouch!!! I was determined to make it to class today so about half way through my day I had to look and see who the instructor was and that kept me motivated to go.. I am a creature of habit and like all the instructors because they are so bubbly and drink lots of red bull I believe, but I do have my favorites and today was one of them!! So I get to class and find one of my best friends there... All through our dancing years she was like a little sister to me! She still looks great and is still super sweet! She said she hadn't been in two weeks and this was gonna hurt... okay I had to laugh because I was like yeah it is.. but you will love it!!

We stood by each other during the warm up and both started laughing when we got to the plank... the plank is all about mind of your abs burning... the feeling of them stretching long and becoming tighter kind of feels like someone paying tug of war with your ab muscles.. by now you are thinking why do you do this... because it is making me stronger and healthier to be able to enjoy my children more!
Back to class.. well we ended up across the room from each other but we could tell how each other was doing by facial expressions... We did two thigh exercises.. before facing the bar for that last exercise. At this point my muscles start to shake before we even find out what we are doing.. we had already kneed danced and burned up our thighs.. as I awaited those awful words..sink into chair, I started to think why am I hear again?? of course then I noticed one of the instructors and it was easy to refocus!! I rejoiced when the words chair did not come out of her mouth!!

Seat.. well that was next but before that we got that all important stretch and I could feel myself getting closer to my splits again!! Seat... That Junk in you Trunk... good bye... They really should play that song while we are going seat.. or baby got back!! we work the left side, my weaker side and then off to the right.... half way through the exercise I though my hamstrings just weren't going to make it.. the instructor came by to give me some pointers on balance.. I smiled nicely and got back into position.. honestly it had nothing to do with balance but that I really thought that right hamstring wasn't going to make it.. I was squeezing my seat but my seat hurt all the way down from my hamstrings..

Abs.. ok I was done.. down and inch, up and inch, down and inch.. reminds me of a new Britney Song!!

Class was over..... and all I could think of was how glad I was I came and how I couldn't wait to come in the morning....  However once I was home and laid on the couch a few minutes and tried to get up I wasn't so sure about that.. sore abs=tighter bikini abs.. okay if you see me in a bikini you know I have lost all oxygen to my brain!!

Well tomorrow starts my second month of Pure Barre and I am still as excited about it and that is a record!!

Their Grand Opening is coming up and hopefully by then I will be able to fit into a dress that I haven't in almost a year.... makes me want to go try it on right now... later!

Pure Barre Take 1

On February 21, 2011 my life as I knew it changed forever….

The Journey... my journey wait to a pre-kids body!!!

If you know me well I am sure you are thinking, What could have changed so much? I mean I already have two wonderful boys, a great family, good job and through all the trials I have had in my life have discovered who I am… Well drum roll please….

Pure Barre came to Huntsville… as a former dancer trained in ballet, tap, jazz and acrobatics, also a former athlete (softball, Basketball, cheerleading, you name it), after having 2 kids, yes I know they are not babies anymore and will both be in school next year, I have been looking for a way to keep myself motivated and back in the “gym”. My youngest child will be 6 years old here in a few short weeks and I still have not lost the weight I put on during my two pregnancies like many mothers.  I am sure I have all the same excuses like I don’t have time, who can eat healthy all the time when you have kids and all of these activities to go too, I am too tired, I work to much…. The list goes on and on.

I have tried ever diet under the sun, own more exercise tapes and equipment that I will admit too and have had a trainer and attend boot camps. And what did I find with all of them…… They worked as long as I kept at it and I watched what I was eating. Note I am not saying that I threw out all sweets, gave up eating out or enjoying a treat now and then. What worked for me.. Logging my food (keeping a food journal) and exercise. That is the secret.

In December 2008 I met Mike Enright , my trainer, and he showed me the way back to the gym. Over the next several months of training I kept a food journal that he checked and gave me guidance and we worked out together 2-3 days a week and he made sure I was getting that extra cardio you need on top of the weight training. My time at that “gym” was up and I started taken what I had learned from Mike to my regular gym.. Luckily one day I got a phone call and come to find out he was at my current gym. We have trained off and on since that as time has allowed in our schedule but I have not made exercise/eating a priority in my life since we left “gym”. Of course some of life circumstances caused that. You all know what I am talking about; well if you know me you do… Well last year (2010) I got motivated again and joined Bootcamp again.. Yes I say joined it again because while MikeE was away I went to camp… I enjoyed bootcamp because it was an all female bootcamp but at 530am in the morning, outside on the hot summer days or cold winter morning no so much. But Scary Bootcamp Man was always there for me!! Yeah I am talking to you Joe! However he now offers night classes but normally by then I am knee deep in baseball, football or soccer..

So here we are at present day… 2011.. My goals for this year…

1) Get certified as an ACE Personal Trainer, which requires getting back in shape since no one wants a larger out of shape trainer, meaning I want my dancer body back or as close as I can realistically get after two kids

2) Get my waterfowl and game bird business doing well enough that hopefully within the next few years the farm and trainer can be my income and I will have more time to spend with kids

3) Keeping working the Dave Ramsey Plan

4) Find prince Charming…. Ok not really but three goals was like some kind of genie in a lamp kind of list

So Pure Barre.. What is it? It is wonderful… it is a mixture of Pilates, ballet movements and some weight training for the arms and shoulders… and I am totally hooked! I haven’t been this excited about going to an exercise class since I can remember.. I honestly look forward to going to class every day, well almost every day. There are those days that I can’t roll out of bed because I am so sore from class but I know once I go I will feel much better. I think that is the trick, you keep going day after day and that soreness doesn’t have time to set in…. I can tell a difference when I miss a day.

First for the good part, What are the results like, of course that is what everyone wants to know.. Well since Feb 21^st I have been to 22 classes. As of last Thursday when I trained with MikeE I had lost .5 inches in my foreman and .5 inches in my upper arm (biceps/tricep area).. MikeE took my measurements at the end of January and until Pure Barre I can honestly say I haven’t don’t much so my measurements could have actually been bigger.. You might say that is not much but here is the kicker.. Lift Tone Burn is what Pure Barre is all about and it is working. I am down 4lbs since I started and if I had been watching what I was eating I know it would have been more. My pants and fitting loser and I feel so much better!! My grandmother even said she can tell my legs are thinner and my stomach is becoming flatter!! Now there is some motivation for you. A few of my friends have said they can really tell it in my face.. So I am hooked!! I love it!!

Now for the bad part, if there has to be a bad part…. I remember my first day of class.. I was so excited. I arrives to class and Meredith and Katie were just so friendly and WOW look at them.. Sign me up if I am going to look like that! I bought a pair of the Pure Barre Socks with the grippy things on them because I knew I would need them. I was told where to put my stuff when I got there and that no shoes were allowed in the studio. Sock only! Ok that is cool.. I hate to work out in shoes which steams from all those years of dance and wearing just a piece of leather on my foot. Of course I love shoes though.. Heels to be exact. So Katie I believe is who taught class that day. She showed me the equipment we needed 1 set of weight (2,3 or 5 lbs), a ball and a tube.. That is all.. here I am used to 10-15lb+ weights, tires, medicine balls.. oh this is not going to work was my first thought! So I got what I needed ball, tube and 2lb weight because since I was knew I had no idea what I needed them for…

Class goes like this.. Warm-Up, Thigh, Seat and the Abs… ok in all honestly after the ½ was through the warm-up I was done.. I mean really done! My heart rate was elevated and I have never felt so out of shape in my life.. Yeah it was the hundreds (pilates move) and then the 90 second forearm plank that turned into the full plank and side planks.. I think I made it through like 30 seconds of that. Next we moved on to weights.. Ok picture this, 2 lbs weights that after you are done feel like lead!! Oh yeah and I keep going back for me.. I am proud to say I am up to the 3lb weights and almost up to the 5lbs.

Thigh… The most dreaded word in thigh exercise.. Chair, yes chair, something about that word today makes my stomach turn and my muscles shake! The rest of the class just burns and makes your muscles shake, but chair.. oh no… The instructors will say in their polite little happy cheerful voices.. If you need to just work higher. If you can feel the burn then it is working, okay feel the burn, what if your muscles feel like they are about to rip off your legs or Abs… yeah it is in a good way but man it burns at the time!!

Seat… lots of little movements and you have to really have that mind/body connection..

Abs..what can I say except for Down an Inch, Up Inch, Down an Inch… I hear that in my sleep now!

I love Pure Barre and I am hear to stay.. In a little over a month, I have gotten my shape back and have a waist line. I started really watching what I was eating and have lost 4 lbs since then.. I am hooked and in love with Pure Barre. I will be at the Barre for at least he next 3 months if not more and will be blogging about my experience and the results I am getting… I will be tracking my food intake and any other exercise I get through myfitnesspal!! I will post some pictures eventually of before, after and some milestone points!  I can’t wait and I have been looking for something like this to keep me motivated for a long time.. the dancer in me loves it!! And yes in 55 minutes you can change your life!!

And to all of my English professors out there that might have just finished reading this, I am sorry….

Remember: The Higher the Heel the Thinner the Thigh!! –Pure Barre instructors!!