Benefits of Group Fitness Clasess and Beets!

This week I decided to go a different route, group fitness classes, and I am hooked!! It is so great for a number of reasons:

1. Switching it up! Everybody knows by know that the best results come from doing a wide array of exercises, yet I continually find myself in a rut. Especially the "more cardio the better" rut and I know that's not always the case. This gives me a different routine practically everyday!
2. Cardio WHILE weight training. It is fabulous! Take a class that does low weights, high reps, whole body conditioning for the entire time. You will breathe heavy and you will be sore.
3. Teachers/Peers always make me want to push myself harder. Sometimes I finish a workout knowing that I could have done more. Not the case in classes. I want to look strong and confident and experienced, show everybody what I can do.
4. Set times/schedules. Committing to a class makes it harder (at least for me) to get lazy. If I don't do yoga today, I'll have to wait an entire week to do it again.

The classes I have taken this week have been:
Monday: Chiseled Physique: Low weights, high reps, all over body toning with cardio. It was awesome and I cannot wait to do this one again.
Tuesday: Yoga: I was nervous about taking a group yoga class. Although I've practiced for a while, I'm not the best. It didn't matter. The teacher loved what she did and was knowledgeable and I will definitely be taking this class again.
Wednesday: Peaks and Valleys Spin Class: As  it sounds, interval spin class. I was drenched in sweat at the end.

What will tomorrow bring!! (I don't know but I do know it's chiseled physique again on Friday)

On top of these workouts, I've decided that Kaitlyn and I need a more active lifestyle overall. So Monday, we walked it out. When I got home from work we walked up to the library to exchange her books then we walked to her swim class then we walked home. Only 1.25 miles in total but it felt totally good to do it.

Tuesday night after I got home from work I had a bike ride on the brain. She was begging to come. I'm not going to lie, as guilty as I felt, I was hesitant to bring her. I wanted to get a sweat on. I live in a hilly area and was concerned she wouldn't last very long. In the end, I told myself that I was ridiculous. Spending time with my daughter, encouraging her to be active, it was more important. So we rode......neighborhoods for a while then around a track. It was a great afternoon.

Today we only  walked to her swim class and back,......but I'm excited to keep this up!

PS - She showed me how the hills are done! No exaggeration. Up them in flip flops in 2 seconds. Biking yesterday, on a hill I was very close to wiping out on, she said "I'll show you mommy!" and came down it confident and speedy.....:-)

I have a food confession to make. I'm currently having an affair with beets. Normally, this wouldn't be too bad. They are awesome for you http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=49...

Roasted with a touch of sea salt...

Roasted and shredded, mixed with nonfat, plain Greek yogurt, lemon juice, pepper, cilantro and garlic.

(The meat in those dinners are Turkey Polish Kielbasa. One of Kaitlyn's FAVORITES. BTW, She is also a beet lover, plus brown rice in one and quinoa in the other)

4 out of 6 meals in the last 48 hours have had beets in them. It must stop. I am quite the messy person. I have gotten beet juice on everything! Today, my lunch leaked in my gym bag and my shirt looked pink Tye dye. It wouldn't be so bad, but they don't have the best smell. and my pee is the color of them. no joke. (TMI? maybe.)

My last note....Does anybody own "The Stick". Holy crap it's my best friend. My left calf and right glute has been extremely tight these last couple days. I roll this bad boy down it. oooooohhh man. It hurts, but that kind of hurt where you just can't stop. It's like an extremely intense massage. I've never done foam rolling but I think it's the same concept. Best $20 I ever spent.