gym

FITNESS SERIES: CORE WORKOUT WITH BAY CLUBS

07.05.2018

I am so excited to share the second post of my MINI FITNESS SERIES! As you all know, fitness is a huge part of my life and its only natural that I share that with you all. As a part of my blog, I will share a fitness series with you at least once a month that highlights a specific workout while also highlighting some of my favorite activewear brands.

So today I’m sharing a little bit more about WHERE I workout on a daily basis, along with a killer core workout to get your abs burning!

We have been members of Bay Club San Francisco for about 4 months now and we cant imagine being members anywhere else! Prior, we were at 24 hour fitness, and Bay Clubs is such a different atmosphere I absolutely love it.

Bay Clubs is more of a lifestyle and a place where I look forward to spending time each day. We spend a lot of time in the gym, so to have full amenities is such a treat. Bay Clubs has a great community of active people and is such an uplifting atmosphere.

We love all of the amenities the club offers. They have swimming pools, basketball courts, cycling studio, full spa, a variety of group fitness classes, a gorgeous lounge, cafe (happy hour each night), a shop (hello Lululemon), shuttle and the list goes on! There is nothing missing from this club! I also love that there are many rooms and many different places to workout within the club. For instance, there is a main fitness floor, but about 7-8 different rooms that you can use anytime to either lift weights, use a cardio machine, practice yoga, pilates or crossfit. I love that if the main gym is busy, there are so many alternative places to workout and feel comfortable.

Needless to say, if you are on the hunt for a new gym I highly recommended you check out Bay Clubs. Its really the best you can get in the city.

Now for a killer core workout!

Repeat each circuit 3 times before moving on the next. Also try not to rest in between each exercise within the circuit. For added intensity, incorporate a cardio move in between circuits. I love jumping rope or rowing for 2 mins in between.

Circuit 1: complete each exercise for 1 min, then repeat circuit 3x

Crunch with weight overhead

Air bike

Plank Jack

Plank hold

Circuit 2: complete each exercise for 1 min, then repeat circuit 3x

Running man in plank position

Dumbell side bend (rotate rides)

Plank, knee to elbow (rotate sides)

Plank hold

Circuit 3: complete each exercise for 1 min, then repeat circuit 3x

Russian Twist with weight

Flutter kicks

Leg raise

Plank hold

OUTFIT DETAILS: BELOFORTE SPORTS BRA / LILYBOD LEGGINGS / NIKE SNEAKERS (similar)

Shannon Righetti Strom Photography

Now lets talk activewear! I mixed it up a bit for this post, wearing both Lilybod leggings and Beloforte sports bra.

Lilybod has a lot of different fun legging options with fun designs and stripes. Here are a few pairs that I’m loving:

I am also a HUGE fan of Beloforte. Their Fall 17 line is TO DIE FOR. The season features a range of mauve, nude and black activewear including sports bras, tanks, leggings and sweatshirts. Looking forward to sharing this dusty rose set with you all on the blog soon!

Hope you all had a great 4th of July!

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Product Love: What’s in my Gym Bag

02.21.2017

Alright babes, I’ve come across soooo many great products lately that I am excited to share today! I am a total product junkie and feel strongly that I need a product for everything. Today I am sharing what products I like to use before or after the gym. I sometimes lug everything around with me if I cant make it home after a workout and I definitely like to make sure I have everything with me in case of an emergency. These products are also mostly minis so they are great to travel with!

Don’t mind my bag- I can barely zip the thing! 🙂

The Yuni Beauty team sent me a few products a year or so ago and I’ve been using their products ever since. They recently reached out to me to let me know that their products are now at Sephora so I was excited to see their new packaging and try a few more! I have been using Chillax, a muscle recovery gel nonstop and its definitely an all time favorite. I can’t live without it these days, it has really been helping with the tension I have in my neck and shoulders. I also really love their shower sheets and Flash Bath no rinse cleansing foam.

I also love a good facial spray. I usually spritz both before I head out for a workout, then after I wash my face post workout. This Evian facial spray is super refreshing and non scented for when I need something a little less aromatic. I also spray my hair with dry shampoo every single time I finish a workout. I LOVE the Detox Dry Bar dry shampoo or Elizabeth and James Nirvana dry shampoo. Fresh smelling hair is always a must for me! Especially if I sweat on the daily I only like to wash my hair twice a week.

Alright guys, here is the roundup of my favorite “gym bag” products:

Water: I never leave the house without water. I usually buy Smart Water and I’m not sure if it’s because of the name or the size of the bottle. I think I’ll go with the size of the bottle. 🙂 I usually pick up a case from Safeway and take them to the gym with me each evening.
Yuni Beauty Chillax Muscle Recovery Gel: This is the product that got me really excited about the brand Yuni. This stuff really works. This gel helps tired muscles and joints in an instant and smells great as well. The rollerball application is quick, easy and mess-free and the bottle is quite large, giving you a lot of product for the money. This is now my go-to pain reliever for minor aches and pains. Highly recommend!
Yuni Beauty Flash Bath: This no-rinse cleansing foam is perfect for a quick “no-water” clean up before changing back into street clothes. All Yuni products smell great, doesn’t leave my skin sticky and also helps to moisturize the skin. I carry this in my gym bag for a mid-day freshen up post workout.
Yuni Beauty Shower Sheets: These wipes are great! Similar to the Flash Bath but in a sheet format. They are large and super convenient. Love love love!
Deodorant: My go to is the Secret Outlast Clear Gel. It doesn’t leave any white marks and has become a repeat offender from the drugstore.
Dry Shampoo: I usually rotate between Dry Bar’s Detox , Ouai Dry Shampoo, or Elizabeth and James Nirvana Dry Shampoo. I love my hair smelling fresh and can’t live without my dry shampoo collection. Each have a very different scent and none leave a white cast in my hair.
Evian facial mist: Such a great refresher product. I also use sometimes mid day to wake me up a bit. This is non scented, but if I want more of a refreshing scent I love the Caudalie Beauty Elixer.
Nuetrogena Makeup remover wipes: I have talked about these many times, but these are the best makeup remover wipes in my opinion. I dont use any other makeup removers other then these. They take away makeup after one swipe and have never irritated my skin. I also like to use them after the gym when I have no makeup on to wipe away sweat and dirt. I buy these in cases from Amazon.
Fresh Sugar Lip Therapy: I love this chapstick! It makes my lips soft and hydrated. It is a bit pricey for a chapstick, but I’m a huge fan of the Fresh brand and think its worth the price.

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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

Back & Shoulders Circuit Training

08.25.2014

Back circuit (Repeat 3x)

-lat pull down (15)

-cable seated rows (15)

-dumbell bent over rows (15 each arm)

-Assisted pull ups (15/last set to failure)

Shoulders circuit (Repeat 3x)

-Plate front raises (15)

-seated barbell shoulder press (15)

-barbell upright row (15)

-assisted pull ups (15/last set to failure)

I usually don’t train shoulders because it has a tendency to give me headaches the next day. However, I think it’s time to suck it up! After seeing a chiropractor for quite some time, I think we fixed the headache problem so I finally decided to give shoulders a try.

I have never been able to do a pull up. EVER. Until now. Practice, practice, practice and your body will become noticeably stronger! 🙂

Tip of the day: Do you find yourself asking what to eat before and after a workout? Here is what I’ve currently been consuming: 90 mins pre workout I try to eat .25 grams of carbs and .25 grams of protein. This meal depends on your tolerance before exercising. Some days I feel like I need to eat, others I can eat much less and still get after a session. Then I like to guzzle down a pre workout on the ride to the gym. This never changes. Love my pre workout! Directly after a workout I always go for a protein shake. Fueling immediately post workout helps the body repair and fuel right away. Once the post workout shake is down the hatch I usually give it an hour then have an adequate size meal consisting of lean protein and complex carbs. Your anabolic window is 3-4 hours post workout so be sure to make the most of it! Now I’m preparing for bed, and 8 hours of sleep is the most important time for your body to recover. I never want to go to bed hungry. This is a great opportunity for a casein shake (sometimes I go for cottage cheese) and a healthy fat like an avocado. To note, this is from my personal preference after lots of research. Find what’s right for you, even if it takes lots of trial and error.

Leg Day + Lunges vs Squats

07.16.2014

Leg workout of the day:

-Front & reverse lunge (one movement, one leg at a time)
superset with jumping lunges 3×15

-Leg press 3×15

-Sprint on treadmill- 10 mins

-Glute kickbacks on cables 3×10

-Standing hip adduction on cables 3×10

-Box step ups- 3×20

-Sprint on treadmill (incline) 10 mins

-Cool down (walking)

REST & STRETCH!

(If you are unsure of what an exercise looks like, search bodybuilding.com for images and how-to’s)

Do you prefer squats or lunges?

Personally, I love lunges. You will rarely find me doing squats. Here’s my thought process:

I feel like my muscles are more engaged and I’m getting more effective movement in my glutes.
Lunges are more fun (in my opinion). There’s much more variety with lunges. Where a squats a squat.
Less strain on my back.
It’s easier to get the movement right! Form can’t be sacrificed as easily. It’s not easy getting correct form for a squat.
Unilateral movements (movement on one side of the body) is much easier for me to focus on and feel that mind/body connection.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments! xo

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