Back in the City and my workout recap
Hi friends. Happy Monday! I’m reporting to you from the comfort of my tiny city apartment back in San Francisco after a wonderful week-long trip to Florida. It seems like I haven’t written in forever, when in actuality my last post was “Friday Favorites” just a couple of days ago. I’d say we’re back on schedule this week, but with New Years coming up, I’m guessing some of you are still on vacation, off of work, or just plain busy. Nonetheless, I’ll be checking in every day, so if you’re bored, stop by to say hello.
Spending my last day in Florida
Before we talk about workouts, let’s catch up where we left off before the weekend. On Friday, after some morning blogging and a short workout in my pajamas in my parent’s living room (I keep it real, folks!), Dave and I went to the mall food court to meet some of my girlfriends for lunch. With fiances, husbands, babies, siblings and parents in tow, it ended up being a big group of us, and we sat around for nearly two hours catching up.
That’s me, Shannon, her baby girl Ali and Melissa. Just a few Florida Gator Girls smiling and profiling at the Port Charlotte Town Center Mall.
After that, Dave and I went back to my parent’s house to do some more relaxing. We had one last yummy dinner with my family at home around the table, played a little game in the living room and went to sleep. My brother was up and on-the-road back to Atlanta super early on Saturday morning, and my Mom took Dave and me to the airport around lunch-time. Our travel itinerary back to San Francisco was not great. In fact, we had a long layover in Chicago, which meant we added a few hours of flying time to our trip by going north before west. I busied myself on the plane by reading a book, watching some TV and reviewing the education videos for the latest Les Mills group fitness releases, (which I will be learning and debuting next week).
We made it back to San Francisco late Saturday night. Safe and sound, but super tired. Our week in Florida was a great time, but not even close to long enough. I won’t get into how hard it is for me to live so far from my family, because I’m sure many of you have to deal with something similar, but I always have to mope around a little bit when I get back, just because I miss them.
Getting back on the healthy train
But today is a new day, a new week, and a new year is coming up soon. I had my fair share of indulgence every single night for the past week, enjoying wine, dessert and all the good stuff, as much as possible. While I love my treats, I also like to pull back and eat a little bit cleaner during the week, so I’m back on the healthy train today.
21 Day Fix Plyo DVD review
And now I’d like to share a little bit of love for one of the workouts I did last week at home. A couple of months ago I featured an interview with a Beachbody coach, to give you some more information on what the Beachbody program is all about because I was curious. I’m not affiliated, nor have I ever participated in a Beachbody group, but I have had a chance to try a couple of the Beachbody DVD workouts. I really enjoyed the quality of T25 Stretch and most recently tried out 21 Day Fix Plyo.
This carpet served as my group fitness studio floor when I completed the 21 Day Fix Plyo workout.
On Christmas Eve, I was debating on whether to work out or not, and I remembered I had stashed a DVD in my suitcase. The anticipation of trying something new won me over, so I did it. Not knowing what to expect, I put some sneakers on, moved my Mom’s coffee table and pressed play. For the next 30 minutes, I was truly challenged, but guided along perfectly through a high-quality at-home workout class. The 21 Day Fix Plyo DVD features a short warm-up, six rounds of plyometric training (which essentially means jumping and/or high impact) and a short stretch. The best part? Super simple moves. Here’s the lowdown …
21 Day Fix Plyo DVD class review
- Duration: 32 minutes
- Format: Short warm-up, six rounds of plyometric moves featuring 30 seconds of one move, followed by 30 seconds of rest, repeated over-and-over again. The simple moves included burpees, tuck jumps, jumping lunges, power push-ups, skater jumps, mogul jumps, plank walks and more.
- Equipment: DVD player, towel and water
- Suggested outfit: Shorts, tank top and cross-training sneakers. And you will sweat!
- Difficulty level: Because you can push super hard, I would say this is an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being extremely difficult.
- Pros: The instruction of the class is excellent. It’s easy to follow, and there is someone modeling the low options throughout the class. There is also is a helpful timer on the screen which displays how long you have left for each move, as well as how long you have left for the entire class. Overall, this workout is very strong.
I would definitely do this workout again. It was hard, but doable, and featured a few moves like frog jumps and sumo squat jumps, which I rarely do in my own workouts. My calves and inner thighs were sore a couple days later. Good stuff!
Every week, I like to take a minute to recap all of the ways I’ve been active. It’s a great way to stay balanced in my own workouts and offer a little insight into the routine of someone who works in fitness. Here we go …
Weekly Workouts
- Monday – Attended one-hour Orangetheory Fitness class
- Tuesday – Attended one-hour gentle beach yoga class and ran two miles outdoors
- Wednesday – Completed 30-minute 21 Day Fix Plyo and 25-minute T25 Stretch DVDs at home
- Thursday – Rest day
- Friday – Completed 30-minute CXWORX workout at home
- Saturday – Practiced 25 minutes of BODYATTACK at home
- Sunday – Completed 20-minute barre-inspired online workout at home, foam rolling
What was good about my week of workouts?
Seeing as this past week included not only my birthday, but also Christmas and a long day of cross-country travel, I’d say I put forth a great effort to get about 30 minutes of activity in almost every day. Not only did I try a few new workouts, with the 21 Day Fix Plyo DVD and barre-inspired online workout, but I also participated in a very enjoyable gentle yoga session with my Mom and Dave on Englewood Beach during the morning of my birthday. I did some cardio, some strength work and even mind/body, so the diversity was there. Each day of vacation, I wasn’t sure whether I would fit in a workout or not, and I did each of them at my leisure and felt great after them all. It goes to show that a little activity can do wonders for your energy levels, even when completed in your pajamas on a holiday.
What could have been better about my week of workouts?
I only picked up dumbbells a couple of times. Even though I did do plenty of bodyweight strength training and used a resistance tube while completing a CXWORX core workout at home, it was light on the load. However, I’m definitely not complaining, because at least I had a couple pieces of equipment to benefit my workouts. The duration of my workouts was about half of what I usually do, although I still had some moments of high intensity in both Orangetheory and the 21 Day Fix Plyo DVD. Overall, this past week was a nice change of pace for my body — a little bit lighter, but with some new moves and variety.
This next week will be a bit different as well, because of the holiday. Some of the group fitness classes that I regularly teach are cancelled, so I’ll be doing a lot more solo sweating. However, I will be back in the group fitness studio to teach BODYATTACK tonight after 10 days away. Wish me luck!
I hope you have a great Monday, friends! See you tomorrow.
Questions of the day
How was your weekend? Did you travel for the holidays? Do you ever work out at home?
I work out at home all the time. Most of my strength training is done in front of the TV with a pair of dumbbells or resistance bands. Someday I would love to join a gym that has classes, but for now I go to Planet Fitness since the price is right 😉 It would be nice to get some variety in my workouts though and I think the group atmosphere would be fun.
Have a great Monday!
Hi Chrissy! Classes are great, but it’s also good to work out on your own. Sounds like you’ve got a good system going for now with PF and home workouts. Happy Monday!
Sounds like you had a great time in Florida! We came back from Minnesota Saturday too- its nice to have a full day on Sunday to get some things done around the house before the work week starts. I also had my share of treats and am looking forward to starting this week off on a healthy note!
Hi Katie! Yes, especially with the time-zone difference, we needed that buffer day to reset a bit. Happy Monday!
I feel the same- ate so much food including sweets but now I feel like my body is ready for a little reset. I’m all about home workouts, I did the arm section of one of my barre DVDs yesterday (in my pj’s as well…too lazy to change) ha!
Hi Marielle, It’s fun to work out in PJs, isn’t it? Glad you got moving a little. I also did a barre-type workout yesterday in my pajamas. hahaha. Happy Monday!
I have that DVD! I’ve done it a few times, but the plyo is really hard on my calves so I took a break from it. How are you liking Orangetheory?
Hi Sue! I’ve done only two Orangetheory classes so far, but hope to do more in the near future. Stay tuned for more on that! Happy Monday!
Sounds like you had a great week. I had my fair share of indulgences too last week and am still at home going to DC tomorrow so I know I will have them there too. I still get in a good workout everyday which makes me feel good and try to eat as clean as possible all throughout the day because I know at the end of the day there will be wine and chocolate 🙂 I’m not regretting it!
Hi Sara! Same here — enjoy all the good stuff! You deserve it. Have fun in DC. 🙂
I couldn’t agree with you more that even a 30 minute workout can do wonders for your energy and mood too. In the past, I always thought if I could workout for 2 hours then it wasn’t a “good enough” workout. Now I love doing circuits & HIIT. Quick yet effective.
Hi Megan! Me too! I used to do only “steady state” cardio on the treadmill long ago … back before I knew better. Not anymore! Short and effective is the key. Happy Monday!
Pylo sounds interesting! Looks like you guys sure enjoyed Florida. I bet it felt great to be home for a week! Scott and I are hoping to make a trip this summer, as soon as the season is over. Hope you have a very Happy New year and great week! xo
Ha, *plyo. Whoops! Got type-happy there. 😉
Hi Heather! Yes, we’re going back a couple of times in the spring too, for weddings and other festivities. I wish we could go every-other-month or so, but it seems like four times a year seems to be the pattern. Happy Monday!!
I’m happy to hear you made it home safe and sound! It sounds like your travels were pretty seamless to which is a huge accomplishment this time of year.
Plyo fix sounds like a great workout when you’re short on time! I tried working out at home for a few months and I got bored so I rejoined my gym. But I always like having the option to knock out a workout in your PJ’s. 😉
Hi Sarah! Yes, all the travel was okay, minus the long layover in Chicago and extra long flights. And as you would guess, I prefer the group setting at the gym, but also like to have some variety and work out alone as well. Hope you have a great Monday!
I need to start working out ASAP. I think from home is the way to go! Thanks for the inspiration!
-Kat
http://www.katwalksf.com/
Hi Kat! Thanks for stopping by to say hello, and Happy Monday! Hey, as an SF gal, I’m sure you get plenty of steps in each day at least. But yes, working out at home is a great way to fit in some short activity when you’re busy. Hope you have a great week!
So glad you had a wonderful trip! The time really flies, doesn’t it? Hope you are getting settled back at home and good luck with your classes!
Thanks, Lauren! I wish we had stayed longer, but that isn’t always possible!
Glad you got home safely! Way to go on getting in some activity most days while you were away! I had a pretty low key week on the workout front myself, and it was really nice. I think my body appreciated it too. However, I’m excited to get back to healthier eating and my regular workouts again this week!
Hi Ashley! Yes, we all need a break sometimes! I’ll be glad to be back teaching again tonight for sure too. Happy Monday!
Looks like you had an awesome week of workouts despite all of the celebrations- great job! Funny that you mentioned you felt like you could have done more with weights- when I have a light weight week for whatever reason I definitely miss it too!
Hi Annmarie, Yes, I missed weights. I’ll definitely be back at them tomorrow. Happy Monday!
I just committed to doing the 21 Day Fix and received the Plyo DVD as a bonus item! Will definitely mix it in!
Hi Jane! That’s great! I look forward to hearing your experience with it. Best of luck!
Your workouts from the week are impressive, given a heavy travel schedule and being away from the normal routine. Also, you look so gorgeous in that first pic!
Hi Lizzie! Oh thanks, you are too sweet. And yes, it felt good to get some short sweat sessions in while away. Hope you have a great week! 🙂
I love, love, love your commitment to fitness! We’ve been under the weather since the holiday but making plans to get back into the gym today. Thanks for being an inspiration. 🙂
Hi there CharlieSue! Being sick is no fun and can definitely make you want to skip workouts or the gym in exchange for much-needed rest. It happens! I hope you feel better soon! And thanks for the kind words. Have a great Monday:)
My week of workout’s was not good! With the holidays, and being under the weather it was NOT a great week for that, but I will take it as a good R & R week. I tried a Les Mills workout once it was great! I wish they had it at my gym all the time. It was a guest instructor and totally got my booty kicked!
Hi Laurie! We all need a break and time off, so don’t worry about missing some workouts if you weren’t well during the holidays. I love Les Mills, and I’m heading off to teach BODYATTACK right now! Hope you feel better:)
haha, I definitely need to get back on the healthy train! I think I’ve consumed more sweets/desserts in the past month than I have in the rest of 2014 put together! o_o
That workout DVD looks like a good one! :] I definitely don’t incorporate enough squat/frog jumps into my workouts. 😡 It’d be nice for a change of pace (even though my body will hate me while I’m doing it! 😛 ). Since it’s been cold enough (I’m a wimp) that I don’t want to go out lately, I really need to get into working out at home! :O
Hi Farrah! I’m with you on the desserts. I love them so much, but I had so many during the month of December, it was overkill hahaha. And yes, I think everybody should have a few home workouts up their sleeves for the right time. Have a great day!
Glad you made it back to SF safe & sound. You two should’ve grabbed some Chicago style pizza out in the city during your long layover. It’s a great way to use up some time 🙂
Hi Jessie! We definitely thought about it, but we were at the Midway airport, it was dark and cold, and we weren’t quite sure where to go. So alas, we stayed in the airport. I actually had a pretty good meal there though. 🙂
Welcome back to the city where the weather is always the same! Although I suppose that’s a little like Florida’s weather – it’s always warm and a bit on the muggy side there, right?
Hi Kelly! Yes, Florida is known for being humid and warm, with a daily afternoon rain, which can sometimes last only a few minutes. We had a few cloudy days while we were there, but a few were nice and sunny. 🙂 I actually way prefer Florida weather to SF.