Breakfast Secret Revealed and I Tried to Take a Barre Class

I usually wake up pretty hungry and ready for breakfast. It’s seriously the best meal of the day. I would love to eat breakfast for every meal. Which I actually did senior year quite often…my roommates had a running joke about the amount of eggs I consumed on a daily basis. They’re easy and delicious! Sadly, I really think I egged myself out senior year, because I can’t get amped about them anymore. Plus I’m not as hungry when I’m waking up at the crack of dawn for work, so I’m all about the to-go meal. Now I will share the best thing I ever came up with (dramatic), the thing that gets me out of bed in the morning (sadly, true)….the breakfast of champions. HERE SHE BLOWS:

(that’s some awesome paleo granola my dear mama made on top…it’s like crumbly cookie dough)

Gorgeous, right? Just kidding, it looks like puke. A co-worker actually came over the other day to inquire with a grimace what it was. Well, I’ll tell ya! First, some plain greek yogurt (I like Fage), topped with almond butter, sliced banana and whatever berries I have on hand, all topped with nuts, a crumbled KIND bar, or granola. Then, the piece de resistance: a smashed up piece of super dark chocolate. Mix it all up and you have literally the most delicious breakfast ever. In addition to being amazing, it’s full of healthy fats and protein and all sorts of fabulous things which keeps me full til at LEAST lunch time. That’s a good 4+ hours of satiety, which is very rare in my life. So how about them apples. Give it a try, you will not regret it.

Two days ago, I tried my first Barre class. Correction, I tried to try my first Barre class. I’ve wanted to try this style of training for a while now. For those who haven’t heard of Barre or are curious about it, there are several styles (you’ll notice classes have names like Barre3, Pure Barre, the Bar Method, etc.) but they all have the same basic premise:

Barre workouts are ballet-inspired, and may utilize very light weights, resistance bands, or a mat, in addition to the barre (picture ballerinas at a bar stuck to the wall a la Channing Tatum in Step Up– that’s you). The classes emphasize muscular endurance with very high repetition sets as well as isometric holds and pulses. AKA you will make a tiny movement a million times until the fires of hell are lit there. Emphasis is on lower-body/core, and the goal is to work each muscle to fatigue. Right after working a muscle, you’ll stretch it out, which allegedly causes it to grow lean (versus bulky). Honestly, I think that is BS and it’s the workout itself causes lean muscle (you’re not lifting heavy!). But whatever, the stretch must be a nice break from the pulsing squats, I’d take it. These workouts are definitely low-impact and focus on form, and are a cool twist to traditional resistance training.

Here is a good article with some tips for anyone looking to try this out but learn/prepare a bit more: http://www.fitsugar.com/Tips-Barre-Exercise-Classes-24951417

So anyway, I grabbed two friends and headed to the local Y for their evening Barre class. Late, naturally, we came sprinting in with my friend muttering that “the ballets don’t appreciate lateness.” Luckily, it was just us and two other participants, and nothing had started yet…BECAUSE it was a sub instructor who wasn’t certified in barre, so she was teaching Balletone (ballet- tone get it). I think she thought we were big barre snobs because we asked if we were at barre, and she reassured us repeatedly that Balletone was similar and we would get a good workout. She really could have just gone ahead, we were clueless. From what I understand, there’s more of a cardio element to Balletone, but I will say I did more plié squats in that hour than I’d ever care to count. Honestly my shoulders were the most tired from flinging my ballet arms up and down the whole dang time. At one point we were doing a sort of grapevine squat shuffle with arm movements and I think I broke into a demented Charleston with jazz hands sort of thing, and the teacher had to tell me to stop.  Honestly, I was tired, it was hot, and I can’t keep rhythm anyway… I didn’t know what I was doing anymore.

Overall, I enjoyed it and would definitely do it again, although I do think it was quite a different experience than a regular barre class.  I was sweaty and beat by the end, and I can feel my legs today for sure. Now to try actual Barre…

This is a funny thing I actually saw on Facebook today about pure barre coincidentally…maybe those who have actually taken a class can relate (I still chuckled): http://forevertwentysomethings.com/2014/07/31/100-thoughts-i-have-during-pure-barre/

Hope everyone’s been enjoying this beautiful week…HAPPY FRIDAY! Time for some of this: