fitness

My Favorite Activewear Brand at the Moment…

03.30.2015

Let’s talk athletic apparel! One of my favorite topics. I’m always on the hunt for some great workout clothes. I typically go for Nike and occasionally Lululemon, but I’ve been searching for something a little different lately. I came across ALALA, a fashion forward activewear brand and fell in love!

(You can shop my outfit here)

Quite possible the most comfortable pants and tee I own, but also super fashionable! I love the mesh back on the top and marble-like design on the pants. The fabric is also super lightweight, sweat resistant and very high quality.

A little more about the brand…

“From an early morning spin class to back to back meetings to a late dinner with friends, we are redefining the meaning of living an active life.”

The ALALA declaration:

… that we don’t have to leave our style in the locker room

… that loving the way we look in our gear makes our workout so much better

… that neither fashion nor exercise should be taken so seriously

… in indulging in a bowl of spaghetti and a glass or two (or three) of wine

… that, like fashion, we’ll try any workout on for size

… that it’s always more fun to work out with friends

Be sure to check out their website for new Spring 15 collection beauties here. Enjoy!

Thank you ALALA for sponsoring this post.

Cycle for Survival

03.02.2015

Happy Monday loves! I wanted to share a few photos from a Cycle for Survival event that I took part in a few weekends ago. For those of you who follow my social media saw a sneak peak, but here are a few more from the event!

Cycle for Survival is a high-energy and emotional indoor team cycling event that provides a tangible way to beat rare cancers. 100% of the donations received go to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to fund rare cancer research and I was lucky enough to be a part of such an amazing team, the Spinderella’s. We raised over $27k this year!!

This event hosts hundreds of passionate people banning together for one cause. Cancer survivors of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center come from all over the world to speak at this event, and thanking us for the funds and awareness that we work so hard for throughout the year. Every dollar and every effort is brought to life at this event, saving lives, creating hope, and fighting back.

The Spinderella’s were presented with a $1000 check- what an honor to be recognized as a stand out team!

Dance party!

No one fights alone. This is why we fight back. <3

Interested in joining Cycle for Survival? Click here for more information. xo

Weekend Recap & Recipes

02.03.2015

Hope you lovelies had a great weekend! We had a blast watching the Patriots take the win on Sunday. 😉 I’m definitely a San Francisco fan, but my boyfriend and friends are New Englanders so had to root for Mr Brady! I found tons of great recipes from some foodie blogs, so decided to host a mini Superbowl party… with some healthier snacks of course!

What’s a football game without chips and guac?! I randomly mashed up a bunch of avocados, added diced onions, onion powder, sea salt, lemon and lime, then topped with tomatoes and cilantro. Guac is always a must and by far the easiest thing to prepare!

These healthier pizza bites were definitely a favorite and gone in about 10 seconds. I baked them with whole wheat tortillas, tomato sauce, cheese and turkey pepperonis. Recipe can be found here on the Dashing Dish blog. Only 66 calories each!

Another recipe I tried were these black bean and corn quesadillas. Sooo delicious! I think we scarfed them down before I got a photo, but the recipe can be found here.

Superbowl selfie! 😉 I also changed my instagram name to @jennapardini. This is not only a fitness account, but also my personal so be sure to find me!

This crazy bunch after the big WIN. Horrible quality photo but I think it captures us perfectly. 🙂

I wanted to start posting more workout tips and exercises for you guys! What would you like to see more of? Let me know below in the comments! xo

Gym Review: The Dailey Method

01.26.2015

Monday we meet again! I visited The Dailey Method last week and I’m finally getting around to updating you guys on my experience. Have any of you tried any of their classes? Different from Pure Barre, Bar Method and other variations, The Dailey Method combines ballet barre work, core conditioning and muscle strengthening through yoga, pilates and orthopedic exercise. The intrinsic focus on alignment and strength together results in better posture and movement.

Here’s the story…

I visited the SF, Marina district location last week and the girls there were super friendly and extremely helpful! Going into a class I’ve never taken before, I’m always a little nervous about not knowing what to expect. They were so welcoming, gave me a tour of the facility and got me ready for my first class. The class was on the small side (10-15 people) which I prefer over a larger class. The teacher was very informative and helpful with each movement being unfamiliar to me. So let’s weigh out the pro’s and con’s.

Pro’s- Loved the smaller group, giving you more access to 1:1 training from the teacher. The movements were all slow and in control, giving you much more focus on your muscles rather then just going through the movement. Although, I wasn’t sore the next day I felt like I was really working each muscle group to a point of failure. Focusing so heavily on movement and balance makes for a smarter workout.

Con’s- You guys know me, and I love to sweat! A great workout for me is being absolutely exhausted at the end, sweating like crazy and being extra sore the next day. So I am going to be completely honest with you guys, when I say that this particular workout may have not been for me…BUT it could be for YOU! I always make it a point to try new things, and find whats right for me, and I encourage you all to do the same. You could totally love this workout, loose a ton of weight or loose inches. There are many ways to do so, it’s important to find your ideal practices. I don’t want to discourage anyone from trying new classes though, it’s the only way to find what you like, I just prefer a faster pace and that’s my personal opinion.

Overall, I would definitely suggest you try The Dailey Method if you’re looking for a new form of exercise. My mom took it and loved it! I really think that this class is for all fitness levels, which is hard to find!

The Dailey Method created a “Burn Bright Manifesto” which I absolutely love! Burn bright is a feeling created by you. When asked why people take The Dailey Method, many responded saying that the classes help you feel like you’re living life to the fullest and burning bright as a result. Share the hashtag #BurnBrightDailey on instagram and possibly win some free classes!

I hope these “gym review” posts help to get you on a path towards reaching your fitness goals and trying new things! Do you have some favorite fitness classes? Please share in the comments!

Thank you so much for having me The Dailey Method team!

Keep up with The Dailey Method: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Gym Review: DIAKADI | New Year, New Goals!

01.07.2015

Happy New Year! I can’t believe that came around so fast. I’m pretty excited to start a fresh year, with a lot more goals on the top of my mind. It’s a great time to rejuvenate and get motivated again! In the past years, have you made a resolution to get healthy and fit, only to burn out in a month or two? It’s not uncommon at all, but this is the year you will stick to it!

Speaking of resolutions and getting a jump start on new fitness goals, I recently visited DIAKADI– San Francisco’s most comprehensive fitness, performance, and life facility. If you haven’t heard of DIAKADI (like myself before the visit) I HIGHLY suggest you check them out!

Since opening in 2004 as San Francisco’s largest personal training-only gym, owners Billy Polson and Mike Clausen have worked diligently to gather a portfolio of San Francisco’s premiere health and wellness services. The key distinction of the facility is definitely its personal training. DIAKADI has been recognized to have the BEST personal trainers in the city based on their custom-design, detailed assessments and individualized programs for all types and levels of clients.

I HAVE NOT had a better personal training experience then I did with Billy. Before my session I filled out a comprehensive client intake form and when I arrived he knew exactly what I needed to work on. Honestly, going in I felt like he would show me the basics (which I already knew) and try to sell me on the gym. This was not the case AT ALL. I have a lot of neck and shoulder pain, often causing headaches and Billy cut straight to the point, noticed my issues and showed that he cared to do anything he can to help me. He showed me new exercises which I’m almost positive will change me life (not even kidding), he gave me advice on how to de-stress, as well as nutritional goals, which I have begun to implement this new year. Since our session, he has checked in with me to see how I am progressing, given me a plan of action, as well as sent me videos he took of me during our session so I can look over at home. I could not have had a better experience at DIAKADI. They are SUPER friendly, action oriented and entirely focused on your goals. The facility is amazing, great locker rooms, juice bar and snacks. They also have a relaxation room, TRX ropes, an area for boxing and pretty much anything you need to reach your goals. You can’t go wrong. I look forward to going back!

DIAKADI is also expanding their facility to provide even more room for training and new equipment. Same location, more square footage! They are also thinking about starting group fitness classes, so stay tuned for that. 🙂

After my session at DIAKADI I was clear on what I needed to focus on this year. Here are a few on my list of resolutions for 2015:

Eliminate all of my neck and shoulder pain by continuously working on my posture and exercises
Eliminate processed foods from my diet (breads, powders, bars)
Eliminate caffeine (this is a tough one for me, yikes!!)
Start my day with eggs and green smoothie, rather than a starch
Stress LESS! Enjoy more. 🙂 (Billy mentioned I check out Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Marin)

What are some of your new year resolutions? Comment below!

Thanks so much for having me DIAKADI! You guys rock!

Keep up with DIAKADI: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube

*This post was sponsored by DIAKADI but all opinions are my own

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