A Lady Goes West

A healthy lifestyle blog by Ashley Pitt

  • Home
    • Popular Posts
  • About
  • Fitness
    • Les Mills Group Fitness
    • Workouts
    • Fitness Tips
    • Class Reviews
  • Food
    • What I Ate Wednesday
    • Recipes
  • Clean Beauty
  • Mom Life
    • Fit & Fertile Book
    • Baby
    • Pregnancy
    • Postpartum
  • Press
  • Contact
    • Privacy Policy

Favorite things: Les Mills video shoot, Must Have box, food and more

June 30, 2016 By Ashley 34 Comments

Favorites time! Are you about to embark on a long weekend? I sure hope so. For those of us on American soil, this weekend typically involves Fourth of July celebrations and maybe an extra day off of work. Yes!

I wanted to pop in a day early to say hello to you lovely folks before I begin my long weekend. After teaching BODYPUMP on Saturday morning, Dave, Rudy and I will be road-tripping north near Mendocino to have a quiet and peaceful couple of days. On the agenda? Maybe a stop at a winery. Maybe a hike. Maybe a whole lot of down-time in some cooler air. Definitely some good eats and sleeps. I can’t wait. Even though we toyed with hosting a Fourth of July party this year, like we did last year, the call of a getaway pulled us in and we accepted. Sometimes you just need a change of scenery.

While there’s still time left in the work-week for most, I have some awesome favorites that had to get out to you, so here we go. Oh, and if you haven’t already entered my giveaway to win a big summer essentials package, please do. It ends tonight. (Thanks for the support!) Now today, I have a varied selection. Get ready …

This week’s “Favorite things”  

Les Mills Video Shoot

If you had told me years ago before I moved to San Francisco that not only would I hang out with, work with and become friends with some of the most popular stars in the Les Mills group fitness world, I would have died from excitement. As you know, Les Mills group fitness is one of my favorite things, and it’s a massive international brand (which is getting bigger in the U.S. finally!). That being said, I was so happy to be invited by Reebok to participate in a Les Mills promotion video filmed in the Bay Area last week.

Les Mills Reebok video shoot favorite by A Lady Goes West

It was a very interesting experience. First of all, we didn’t get the exact time and location until a day before the shoot, which just kept those of us involved guessing – and perhaps growing even more excited. Second of all, we filmed overnight. Yes, you heard that – overnight. Thirdly, we were extras in a video that Reebok will be sharing widely in August, so we won’t see the finished product for a while. But we have no doubt it will be top-notch and representative of the whole Les Mills culture.

The shoot took place at a Crossfit gym in Oakland, and we did a lot of chatting and watching the first group being filmed (Crossfitters!) before being fitted for our Reebok Les Mills wardrobe, warming up, practicing and participating in the actual shoot. There was one star of the Les Mills spot (the beautiful and talented Lissa Bankston), and there were about eight of us extras, who served as class members. Overall, the shoot was a super cool experience – particularly to be part of and see the way these large-scale productions work.

But quite honestly, I love every time I get to hang out with fellow instructors, especially when we are coming together on behalf of Les Mills, even if it means working out and doing many repetitive motions just to get the right shot at 2 in the morning on a school-night. And YES, I will share the final video with you once it comes out. One Tribe!

POPSUGAR Must Have Box

Another amazing San Francisco company? POPSUGAR. A few weeks ago, I received the June POPSUGAR Must Have box in the mail, and it’s adorable. The POPSUGAR Must Have box subscription is just $39.95 a month, and with that you get a delivery of hand-selected goodies sent to you and you never know what you’re going to get. My favorite thing in this box? The card game. I will be bringing it on an upcoming trip for sure.

POPSUGAR Must Have Box favorite by A Lady Goes West

This is seriously an awesome gift for someone who is hard to shop for. NCLA nail polish, Pacifica deodorant wipes, a designer mirror, a scarf/sarong, a game, a cool bottle-opener and some snacks — what more could you ask for. Check out more from the Must Have team here. *Thanks to POPSUGAR for sending me the box to try.

Nutiva Nuture Vitality Coconut Oil

No this is not just another coconut oil, this is an organic coconut oil with a buttery flavor, and I have been putting it on everything. I believe this jar came to me in a big delivery from Whole Foods a few weeks ago, and I wish I hadn’t waited so long to dig into it. It’s super healthy. Non-GMO. Vegan, etc. But what you really want to know is that it smells divine and adds the perfect flavor to anything. Like buttery popcorn, but in a good way. It’s unreal. I could coat my body in it and ride off into the sunset for eternity. (Not an exaggeration.)

Nutiva coconut oil favorite by A Lady Goes West

Here’s how  I use it – Slather a thick coating on raw vegetables (broccoli or Brussels sprouts or sweet potato fries) using a tool like this on an aluminum-foiled baking sheet, then I throw them in the oven at 450 degrees for 22 minutes, until they come out a little charred. Buttery vegetable goodness. Get thee to the grocery and purchase this stuff. You won’t regret it.

Big Ol’ California Mug

When I took this California mug up to purchase it at Bed, Bath and Beyond with my 20 percent off coupon last weekend, the clerk said – “well, this is big enough to put soup in it.” She’s right. It’s big enough for soup, but also big enough for my massive morning helping of hot green tea (sometimes I use two tea bags, because one just isn’t enough).

Big California mug favorite by A Lady Goes West

Maybe it’s silly to have a touristy mug from your own state, but maybe it’s cool. I’ve been on the hunt for a cute huge mug for a while, and I can now officially stop my search. And get a little geography lesson while I’m at it. A win win.

My favorite links of the week

Did you miss the latest on A Lady Goes West lately? 

  • Rise and shine 20-minute treadmill interval workout
  • Weekend recap and my weekly workouts
  • How I snack on the go and a big giveaway
  • Weekend scenes and my weekly workouts

And more from around the web worth checking out …

  • Another one that I can’t stop watching or smiling from: “Me Too” by The Fitness Marshall.
  • I know I’ve mentioned this before, but the daily news round-ups on mindbodygreen are the best. 

That’s it for now. Enjoy the rest of your week and have a safe, happy and healthy Fourth of July, if you’re celebrating. (Check me out on Instagram to see some adventures.) Thanks for reading friends. I really appreciate it that you keep coming back. 

A look at some #LesMills fun and other faves ... Click To Tweet

Read more Favorite things

To see more favorites, visit Heather‘s blog or my older “Favorite things.” 

*There are affiliate links in this post. Thanks for your support!

Questions of the day

What are you up to this weekend?

What was the best thing that happened to you this week?

Filed Under: Friday Favorites, Les Mills Tagged With: coconut oil, favorites, Les Mills video, POPSUGAR Must Have Box, Reebok

SIGN UP FOR A FREE GIFT

Get a free "How to have a great week of workouts" checklist and action plan when you sign up for the list. And you'll get new posts by email.

About Ashley

I'm a mom and fitness instructor in Charlotte, North Carolina. And A Lady Goes West is where I share fitness, wellness and clean beauty tips, as well as stories from my life.
 
Stay in touch ...
Bloglovin', Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest & Facebook.

Comments

  1. Patricia @sweet and strong says

    June 30, 2016 at 5:07 am

    Must have been so fun shooting the Les Mills video, I can’t wait to see it! And does that coconut oil taste really ‘coconutty’? There are very few foods I dislike and somehow coconut is one of them 🙁 I can use coconut oil when cooking most things, but I don’t like it with roasted veggies. Have a fun long weekend! A road trip sounds so fun, we have a wedding and I’m hoping to spend some time by the pool and make some good eats.
    Patricia @sweet and strong recently posted…Greek Couscous Salad with Basil VinaigretteMy Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      June 30, 2016 at 6:15 am

      Hi Patricia. Yes, you can taste some coconut, but I think the buttery taste is more present. It’s good! Too bad you don’t like coconut, but you never know, your tastebuds may change one day. Hope you have a great time at the wedding!! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Fiona MacDonald says

    June 30, 2016 at 6:15 am

    OH man that shoot for Les Mills looks so fun ! Our gyms have virtual Les Mills as well as the classes and the videos are the videos you guys train on ( I think ) so it’s soo fun to see the instructors from New Zealand and get a glimpse of what you guys get to experience!!

    My sister just bought me a FabFitFun box for my birthday and there is something about getting surprise treats in the mail that I just love! Too bad the subscriptions usually aren’t cheap!

    It’s our independence day (Canada Day) tomorrow so we are all off for a cottage weekend! Have a great long weekend!

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      June 30, 2016 at 6:16 am

      Oh cool! I haven’t seen how virtual is set up yet and would love to. And how sweet of your sis to get you the FFF box. 🙂

      Have a great weekend, Fiona! How’s little one??

      Reply
      • Fiona MacDonald says

        June 30, 2016 at 6:18 am

        Yah it’s really cool, and nice to have an option to still do a class even if the time you want to work out is off with the set times for live classes.

        Oh gosh Sully is great, will be 1 this month!!! So nuts, he’s a huge dare devil and is obsessed with the dog, the feeling is NOT mutual…lol..so I”ve been struggling to get down time to catch up on my fav bloggers 😉 Hence the radio silence!

        Reply
        • Ashley says

          June 30, 2016 at 8:29 am

          Ha! I bet it’s harder to run around after him now that he’s more mobile hehe! 🙂

          Reply
  3. Jessica @ Semi-Sweet Tooth says

    June 30, 2016 at 6:42 am

    Congrats on the promotional shoot – that’s awesome!

    My mom was actually a fitness television star in the 80’s (totally random), so it’s been a looooooooooong time since I was on set of a fitness video. I’m sure it’s totally crazy now with all of the cameras and crazy lighting. It had to be a blast!

    Sounds like you have a wonderful weekend lined up. Have fun!
    XO, Jessica
    http://www.semisweettooth.com
    Jessica @ Semi-Sweet Tooth recently posted…Matcha Mint Latte Iced TeaMy Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      June 30, 2016 at 8:30 am

      Oh my gosh, no way. What kind of videos did she do??

      Reply
  4. Julie says

    June 30, 2016 at 8:45 am

    Such a small world – we’ll be up near Mendocino this weekend too! Definitely looking forward to good wine, good food and some nice hikes 🙂

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      June 30, 2016 at 11:54 am

      No way!! How awesome, Julie. I hope you enjoy!! Maybe I’ll run into you on the trails. 🙂

      Reply
  5. Laura says

    June 30, 2016 at 9:49 am

    What a fun experience. Love the me to video, inspired!!!! I am all into the flavorful coconut oils, so far I have garlic and pumpkin so this definitely makes the cut. Have a great romantic weekend. Thanks for all you do here for us.

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      June 30, 2016 at 11:54 am

      Pumpkin coconut oil? Where and how? I MUST get my hands on it!!

      Reply
  6. Emily says

    June 30, 2016 at 11:16 am

    That Les Mills video shoot looked really fun. out of a lot of the fitness companies, I may have to say that Les Mills is one of my favorite + the P90X workouts. And a LONG weekend getaway sounds so relaxing. Sometimes that’s just what you have to do, because a party can be a little overwhelming. I understand that feeling.
    Emily recently posted…TOLT: Why Food Helped My RecoveryMy Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      June 30, 2016 at 7:40 pm

      Hi Emily! It sure can be nice to get away sometimes. I LOVE that you are a Les Mills fan, my friend. 🙂 Enjoy your night and weekend!!
      Ashley recently posted…Favorite things: Les Mills video shoot, Must Have box, food and moreMy Profile

      Reply
  7. Julie Przybyla says

    June 30, 2016 at 11:45 am

    That’s really neat about the Les Mills video shoot. I follow Jeremiah Evans an IG (he was my CXWorx trainer back in the day when it was called CX30) and I saw him mentioning about this little project. I recognized your face from your blog. What a small TR1BE we can be! I bet that was an amazing experience. I just completed my second time through AIM2 this weekend with some super star trainers. It was amazing!

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      June 30, 2016 at 11:55 am

      Hi Julie! Small world of instructors all over the big world hehehe! Wow nice work on going back to AIM 2. I’m due for another visit myself! And I need to be doing CX more, I don’t have my own class and haven’t been doing it. My poor core misses it heehhe. Have an awesome day!

      Reply
  8. Erin @ Erin's Inside Job says

    June 30, 2016 at 12:19 pm

    Some other people also put up their favorites for the week and I think it’s gotten me super confused as to what day it is. Now I’ve been thinking it’s Friday all day and keep getting sad when I realize it’s not. That’s so cool about the video!
    Erin @ Erin’s Inside Job recently posted…10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming A Group Fitness InstructorMy Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      June 30, 2016 at 4:03 pm

      I bet you will be even more confused next week because of the holiday hehe!!

      Reply
  9. Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious says

    June 30, 2016 at 12:41 pm

    That is seriously so cool you got to do that! I can’t wait to see the video. You’re famous now!
    Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious recently posted…Bikini Friendly Healthy Summer DessertsMy Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      June 30, 2016 at 4:03 pm

      Ha! Hardly famous. As an extra, you may miss me, but it was cool to do! Are we finally going to meet at BlogFest this year??

      Reply
  10. Jessie R says

    June 30, 2016 at 1:43 pm

    Exciting video stuff, and that butter/coconut oil-yum!! I’m sooo glad I’m taking Friday off, we are heading out to Alaska for a week of vacation, yay!

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      June 30, 2016 at 4:02 pm

      Oh awesome!! I’ve always wanted to go to Alaska! Stay warm and enjoy every minute of it!!

      Reply
  11. Liz @ I Heart Vegetables says

    June 30, 2016 at 5:51 pm

    Oh wow, congrats on the shoot! That sounds like SO much fun! I’m sure you rocked it 🙂

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      June 30, 2016 at 7:41 pm

      Thanks, Liz! 🙂 It was cool! Hope you have an awesome night, gal!
      Ashley recently posted…Favorite things: Les Mills video shoot, Must Have box, food and moreMy Profile

      Reply
  12. Melissa says

    July 1, 2016 at 3:47 am

    Oh my gosh, the photo shoot – ahhh!!! There are no words for how cool I think that is!! Can’t wait to see the video! I just placed my huge Reebok.com order for all the new stuff. Can’t wait to get that package! I am launching BP 98 on Monday, the 4th of July. Very excited to launch it – loving it so much. Best thing this week, got a pedicure and my hair done. Feeling good 🙂 Have a great get away trip. It sounds amazing!

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      July 1, 2016 at 8:16 am

      Nothing feels better than a little grooming, right? How nice, Melissa! Good luck with BP 98. I’m launching it the week after. 🙂

      Reply
  13. Susie @ SuzLyfe says

    July 1, 2016 at 3:56 am

    So cool on the shoot! I love getting touristy mugs of the place that I live. I think I am going to get some etched rocks glasses of cities that are important to us as well.
    Susie @ SuzLyfe recently posted…My Five Summer Fitness Goals 2016My Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      July 1, 2016 at 8:14 am

      Funny you should say that, because we have etched glasses of SF heheh:) Have an awesome weekend, Susie!

      Reply
  14. Susan says

    July 1, 2016 at 7:29 am

    Mendocino was was of my last stops before moving from SF back east. It is so beautiful, I hope you have fantastic time. Enjoy every minute!!

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      July 1, 2016 at 8:17 am

      Oh how cool, Susan! Mendocino is VERY different from the SF. 🙂 heheh! Hope you are happy back east.

      Reply
  15. Heather @ Life In Leggings says

    July 1, 2016 at 8:43 am

    Hi Ashley! I hope you enjoy your getaway this weekend – sounds amazing! That video shoot looks so cool, congrats on such a great opportunity! Also, loving the CA mug 🙂
    Heather @ Life In Leggings recently posted…Friday Favorites #148: Week of 7/1My Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      July 1, 2016 at 1:53 pm

      Clearly you need an NY mug hehe. Have a great weekend, Heather!

      Reply
  16. Paul Carabis says

    July 9, 2016 at 5:44 am

    I love Les Mills workout! Thank you for sharing your weekly adventures with us.

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      July 11, 2016 at 7:15 am

      Hi Paul! You’re welcome! 🙂 Thanks for saying hi!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

ashley bio pic

Hi, I'm Ashley. I'm a mom and fitness instructor living in Charlotte, North Carolina. I love to help you live a balanced life with no extremes, making sure you never skip a rest day. A Lady Goes West is where I share my workouts, simple meals, clean beauty tips and wellness insight with you. Find out more about me and stay awhile!

Connect with me

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Search This Blog

Follow

Get my ebook

Fit & Fertile ebook: How I found my body's fitness from the inside out by overcoming hypothalamic amenorrhea.

Recent Posts

  • How to start meditating and why you should start
  • Current faves: LEAD conference, “Shameless” and workouts
  • Ask-me-anything A Lady Goes West Advice Corner: second edition
  • Current faves: Easter fun with my mom, a challenge and workouts
  • Les Mills On Demand vs. Peloton app: Everything you need to know

SIGN UP FOR A FREE GIFT

Get a free "How to have a great week of workouts" checklist and action plan when you sign up for the list. Your email address will automatically be added and stored to receive new posts by email and more. See the Privacy Policy for details.

Connect

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

The latest on Instagram

How many times have you thought back on what you w How many times have you thought back on what you were doing this time last year? For me: I do that all the time. While I don’t like to live in the past, I do like to use perspective as a tool for my mindset in the present. And I’m feeling so much growth, change and lessons from a really tough year of challenges with the pandemic and other stuff. Now, when I’m out and about and enjoying somewhat normal things, I have a sense of gratitude that wasn’t there before, based on everything that happened. Have you noticed this too? If not, give it a go, because a lot can change in a year, and I’m hoping some things are better for you now than they were this time last year. Also, swipe through for the photo-bomber, who is always just a step away. It’s the little things, friends.
It’s been 3.5 months since we moved back to the It’s been 3.5 months since we moved back to the east coast, after our 8-year adventure out west. In the last couple of months, we’ve bought and moved into a house, enrolled Brady in preschool, met some super-nice people, hosted family visitors, and I may have even found my new gym home too, which is so exciting ... The thing is: When we were talking about moving cross-country months ago, it seemed so overwhelming to think of everything we needed to do, and I couldn’t wait to get it all over with. Well, even though life remains busy, so much of the big transition is behind us, and it’s such a good feeling. We still have a lot to learn about our new city, but it’s totally starting to feel like home. Here’s your friendly reminder that if you’re in the midst of overwhelming transitions, remember that eventually you’ll get through the other side. 😍
Negativity be gone. "Think about negativity from o Negativity be gone. "Think about negativity from others as junk mail. Learn to sort your mail, and don't let that junk in the house." -- I heard this thought from @glennondoyle over the weekend while soaking up the annual @beautycounter virtual conference, and boy it spoke to me, as someone who used to get really upset when others didn't treat me well. I no longer internalize any of that junk, nor allow it, and it's freeing. And it's a lesson for us all.
.
I'm all about the unfollow for people or accounts that leave you feeling icky or less than. And I think you can use the unfollow both literally and figuratively in your life. Remember, if you've been experiencing negative energy from someone or something -- sort your mail and leave that junk in the trash, don't even bring it into your house. Have a good night, friends. xoxo -Ashley
Because focusing too much on what you eat and how Because focusing too much on what you eat and how you move can lead to a restrictive routine, and once you’ve been there and done that — you don’t want to go back to that place. Friends, be kind to yourself, fuel yourself well, and always make time for life. xoxo -Ashley
Peloton or Les Mills? This is divisive debate, bec Peloton or Les Mills? This is divisive debate, because people are rightly obsessed with each platform and tend to have strong feelings either way. Here's the deal: I think the Peloton and Les Mills platforms are both AMAZING, because they are getting more people moving and giving more people access to incredible workouts, all at a reasonable monthly price. I use both apps every single week, and I think that you can definitely enjoy both. I wrote a whole post on the blog this week about Les Mills On Demand vs. the Peloton app, and I went through everything you need to know to make a choice. You can check out that post later, but here's a top-line overview:
.
Peloton vs. Les Mills On Demand:
-The monthly price is fairly even for access to both apps and both have free trials for 30 days
-There is great variety of workouts on both apps, but @onepeloton has a larger quantity of workouts and more short workouts
-Peloton has the fun-connected-digital community vibe and trackable data nailed down, but @lesmillsondemand workouts are better tested and programmed (and they are always effective, whereas sometimes Peloton workouts leave you wanting more)
-Both apps offer "programs" with workout calendars and I highly recommend following them to get better results
-There are incredible instructors on both platforms, and it depends on your personal style which instructors will resonate with you
-You can get in a great workout on either app, but you have to make sure you're doing the right mix of cardio and strength each week, rather than choosing randomly, in order to get more fit
.
I'm in the camp that you can enjoy more than one digital fitness platform, especially because the price is better than the cost of one live-studio class. If you want to check out more on this, head to the blog here: https://aladygoeswest.com/les-mills-on-demand-vs-peloton-app-everything-you-need-to-know/
.
Keep moving, friends! I'd love to know. Are you team Peloton, team Les Mills On Demand or other?
I teared up a little after receiving my first dose I teared up a little after receiving my first dose of the vaccine, thinking about the last year and all we’ve been through. Whether you choose to take this vaccine is up to you, but it’s a choice I wanted to make. And it’s given me a lot of relief and hope for what’s ahead. Thank you to all the health-care and front-line workers out there for all you do.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

As seen on

A Lady Goes West is a personal blog meant for entertainment purposes only and does not serve as a substitute for professional advice from your own doctor, trainer or nutritionist. While I'm a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor, the workouts, food and plans I post are what works for me and may not work for you. Please enjoy these stories and tips from my life, but proceed with caution. Also, know that affiliate links and sponsored posts appear from time-to-time, and I appreciate your support. For more information about how your data is stored, visit my Privacy Policy. Thanks for reading!

Copyright © 2021 Ashley Pitt (A Lady Goes West) · Design by MakeMe{dia}Over