Tag Archives: yoga

How Classpass Changed My Life

I want to start out by saying that I currently have no financial or branded affiliation with ClassPass. This is in no way a sponsored post. I’m simply an ordinary member who loves it and wants to share how it has made me a fitter, better and happier person. Here’s my story…

Classpass Fitness Tips How to lose weight

Photo by: Zarif Taufiq

As a kid I was never one for competitive sports. I wasn’t at all athletic and as soon as I was old enough I was cut from every team. I then channeled all of the rejection and frustration I felt from sports into theater and had a blast being in three high school musicals. Since I already had a naturally slim figure in high school and throughout college, I never gave much thought to fitness. In college I tried yoga and discovered my love for group fitness. I loved how non competitive yoga was and how supportive everyone in class was no matter what your ability. It wasn’t about winning or being the best, it was just about getting your mind and body in shape.

Almost two years ago I saw that I had gained weight and I started running outside and on the treadmill. I opted for running because it was free and I could do it on my own time. However, I hated every second of it. There’s nothing more isolating than running without a destination while listening to the exact same playlist day after day. While I would always look for excuses not to run whenever I could find one, I kept doing it because I felt that I had to in order to lose weight. I soon realized that I was punishing myself for no reason and I needed to find something that I actually liked if I really wanted to be a fitter, healthier person. So I remembered my love of yoga and group fitness and signed up for ClassPass. I’m now in the best shape of my life. I take a class through ClassPass almost every day not because I feel like I have to in order to get skinny, but because there’s nothing I’d rather be doing after work or during my free time on the weekends.

About ClassPass

For those of you who aren’t familiar with ClassPass, it’s a subscription service available across tons of cities that allows you to pick up open spots in fitness classes at thousands of studios. For $130 a month you can get unlimited classes with a limit of three per studio per month. While $130 a month may seem like a lot, with classes in New York and other major cities going for $20 to $50 a class, it’s actually a steal. Unlike a gym, there are no initiation fees or year long commitments. If you travel you can use it in any of the 30+ cities available at no additional cost. Without ClassPass there’s no way I would be able to afford to workout as often and as well as I do. My Visa card and I are both thankful for the opportunity to workout everyday without the financial stress that can come with studio or gym memberships.

Variety

Another thing I love about ClassPass is the variety. One of the reasons I never worked out before was because it was boring. ClassPass provides me with a sense of discovery every time I visit a new studio. It keeps working out exciting and makes returning to your favorite studios an adventure too. Everyday is an opportunity to try something new. In a week you can do everything from yoga to pole dancing to spinning or even fencing.

Community

Whenever I visit a new studio or one of my ClassPass favorites, I always feel so welcomed into each unique community. I’ve taken close to 150 classes since I signed up for ClassPass in July and have yet to go to a studio that isn’t 100% welcoming and genuinely interested in my fitness goals. On top of the numerous studio communities I have been welcomed into, ClassPass also provides me with a vibrant community of people interested in bettering themselves through fitness. Whenever I meet another ClassPasser, we automatically start gushing about our favorite studios and classes.

Results

When I first started running and eating healthier I saw some results, but I still wasn’t completely happy with the tone and shape of my body. Now that I love the workouts I do, I’m seeing results that I never thought were possible. I lost another 20 pounds since joining and almost everyone I know has commented on how much weight I’ve lost. When you run, the only calories you’re going to burn are the ones you burned on your run. But when you do resistance training such as barre and yoga you’re building muscle which burns more and more calories for you throughout the day. Now that I’m starting to see my abs again, my muscles are burning calories all the time, not just when I workout.

However, it’s not just the physical change that has made me happy. I have so much more energy and feel so much better that I have in years. Like I said earlier, I no longer feel obligated to workout. I just love doing it and by loving my workouts I can love myself more. In a few months I’ll be turning 30 and I feel fitter and more alive than I ever did in my teens or early 20s. I’m so thankful to ClassPass for making this amazing experience possible and affordable for me. Namaste.

If you’re looking to get back in shape, here’s my advice – choose something you love and do it for you. That’s the only way you’re ever going to see the results that you want.

Think ClassPass is for you? Sign up using my link and we can both save $20!

UPDATE: ClassPass has raised their monthly unlimited rates in New York to $190 a month for current members and $200 a month for new members. They are also offering a 10 class a month pack for $130. While price increases are never fun, I am still an unlimited ClassPass member.

* This post is not affiliated or paid for by ClassPass and tracking links are standard for all members.

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Studio to Street Style in my Cory Vines

Lately, my obsession with ClassPass has resulted in a significant wardrobe change. I’ve become obsessed with looks that can go from studio to street which means lots of fab brightly colored yoga pants.

Cory Vines

I think I’m really starting to understand the appeal of basically living in workout gear. I often find myself wearing it to places like the movies or a casual dinner even if I don’t have a workout class after. Here I am going from barre to brunch in my Cory Vines Lane Print Leggings. Life is good!

Photos by: Zarif Taufiq

Yoga Pants

Bryant Park

yoga class pants

headshot smile model

Cory Vines Yoga Gear

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5 Ways to Best Start the New Year!

New Year 2014

When you really think about it, almost everyone starts the New Year the exact same way – hung over! For as long as you can pop prosecco, the epic New Year’s Day hangover is inevitable. However, once you’ve gotten over the hangover and made those New Year’s resolutions you never really intend to keep, there are a few ways that I recommend you start the New Year.

1. Spa Treatments: Whether you get a full body massage combined with a mani/pedi or just a simple trim, you should never start the year off without some kind of spa or salon treatment to have you feeling pretty.

2. Psychic Readings: Though you can never truly know what the future will bring, I always like to start the year off with a little clairvoyance in the form of a full deck tarot card reading. If you’re also down to start 2014 with a reading, here’s some advice on choosing the right psychic.

3. Post Holiday Sales: Black Friday deals are nothing compared to the deals you’ll find after Christmas. Shop the sale sections at all of your favorite stores after the holiday rush when the deals are more like steals.

4. Yoga and/or Meditation: It’s always good to begin the year with a clear and open mind. Even if you don’t take up yoga on a normal basis, just taking one class at the beginning of the year is enough to get your mind centered.

5. Late January Travel: When the holidays are over, we all tend to get a little depressed as there’s really nothing to look forward to until summer. This year, I’m still in the holiday spirit because I’m going to wedding in Cancun at the end of the month. Judging from my unseasonably good mood, I think I’m going to make a late January getaway a yearly tradition.

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Be Fashionably Flexible With the HP Envy x2


HP-Intel-Project-Runway-Pin-Your-Style-HP Envy x2 (Fashionably Flexible)

Great fashion is all about flexibility. The best outfits flatter your features fabulously at a multitude of occasions all while keeping you comfortable. The HP Envy x2 holds the power of two devices in one transitioning in seconds from a vivid Windows 8 notebook with an HD Touch display into a sleek and thin tablet to keep you connected on the go. It’s an accessory that goes perfectly with any outfit giving you a stylish touch of technology all while organizing your calendar, photos, music, and more.

Like the best fashions, the best technology moves seamlessly from work to play. Though we all have those favorite office outfits that transition perfectly from work to happy hour with little to no changes, nothing transitions better from work to play or makes you feel more flexible than your yoga gear. I love yoga because it gives me the best of body and mind. While stretching into challenging poses, my mind begins to wander and I can finally organize my thoughts. Here’s some of my favorite comfortably stylish yoga gear and accessories that bring the “Namaste” into flexible fashion and versatility.

yoga-gear

 1. Layering Racerback Tank  2. Victoria’s Secret Pink Bootcut Yoga Pants  3. Empower Floral Yoga Mat  4. Namaste Yoga Kit Bag  5. Gaiam Thirsty Yoga Towel  6. Bend Yoga & Movement Studio Ten Yoga Classes

Show your fashionable flexibility by entering the HP + Intel + Project Runway: Pin Your Style contest!

– To enter, pin a photo of the HP Envy x2 with Intel Inside® via the Pin It button on the Pin Your Style contest page. Then, build a board that represents that week’s theme. Check out the weekly Pinsetter images on the site for inspiration.

– Submit your board’s URL into the site to enter. Then, share your board with friends to earn the most votes! Vote in the contest between April 29 – May 12 by viewing the Pinterest board submissions on the Pin Your Style contest page.

– Win prizes like an HP Envy x2 with Intel Inside® and a gift card to bring your style to life by getting the top votes for your board.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

The Yoga Cocktail

In an effort to relax and rejuvenate, I’ve been getting back into yoga.  Having never been talented at sports, I’ve grown to really enjoy yoga as a personal uncompetitive experience.  Though I love a good Hot Vinyasa class (traditional Hot Yoga is too hot), I’ve found that I just may not be as spiritual as I once believed myself to be.

In my last yoga class, the instructor announced that they were holding an upcoming yoga retreat in the Catskills.  It would involve hiking, yoga, and other spiritual activities.  My first thought was, “That’s perfect! Where do I sign up?”  When I went to the instructor after my end of class meditation to get more information, she said that she forgot to mention that it was a silent retreat.  As in you can’t talk at all for the entire weekend.  As much as I love meditation, I don’t think I could comfortably be alone with my thoughts for that long.  I really need more of a resort style yoga retreat where you wake up at noon, take a yoga class, drink a cocktail, and spend the rest of the afternoon tanning on the beach (with sunscreen of course).

I once had these awesome (healthy-ish) cocktails at Fashion Week that I’ve renamed The Yoga Cocktail.  Consisting of a delightful mixture of Vitamin Water Zero and Organic Vodka, you should try one of these low-cal concoctions ASAP.

*Be sure to hydrate first before engaging in any activities after yoga.