Dime a Dozen

I was on Pinterest, as usual, when I found this pin where someone mentioned they wanted this top from Lululemon and they were going to use their $1 reward jar towards it. I don't know how their jar works, but it got me thinking.

What if I could curb my 'outlandish spending habits' as my mother says with my love of using a 'reward system' to help keep me on track for working out? Kill three birds with one stone? Why the hell not? So I decided I'd go to the bank and take $20 in dimes out. Crazy, I know. Next I found a container that will work as my collection bin for workouts received. And finally I found something I've been drooling over as my motivation.

Lululemon's Studio Pant II* No Liner has been on my radar for what seems like an eternity. I love these, they're soft, they're comfortable, they're cute. I just can't justify spending $100 on a pair of yoga pants. Well, I could if I worked out for them. And at $0.10 earned for every ten minutes working out I don't feel bad. I will have to pour a lot of sweat, blood and tears into my workouts to earn those pants, but they're worth it.

I'm sure you're thinking, this is a dumb idea. $0.10 for every ten minutes is ridiculous and how can that even motivate anyone? There's two reasons really. The first is that a 20 minute workout isn't worth $1 to me. I should get rewarded for my workouts based on my time. Every workout is different and the reward should be as well. If I were to give myself $1 per workout I'd only ever workout for 20 minutes a day. By making it by the time I spend I'm holding myself more accountable, I'm making myself *want* to run for that extra ten minutes, that extra mile, take that class that's a little bit longer than the normal one.

And the second reason? Well I have this thing called buyer's guilt. I'm not sure if it's even a real thing, I just know I don't have buyer's remorse. I don't ever *regret* buying what I bought, I just always get guilted by someone for buying it. I love what I buy, I wouldn't buy it if I didn't love it. But this new idea allows me to buy without guilt. How? Because I've not only saved for the item at a painstakingly slow rate, but I've also poured my energy, time, blood, sweat, tears, motivation and dedication into my reward. I truly feel like I've earned it. And to me, buying something without the guilt, well hell, that's worth it every time!

Why RICE when you can RICE + do Pilates?

I hate getting into a workout routine and all of a sudden an injury occurs or an old injury is re-aggravated. Heck, even the weather changing can cause my bum left knee to start hurting; but does that mean a little cold weather should sideline my workout schedule? In most cases, it should and it would; I'd rest, ice, compress and elevate. But this time I tried doing an at home Pilates routine instead of running (left knee and right ankle were hurting) or yoga (standing poses really hurt my injuries.) While neither injury is yoga related, my left knee I hyper extended playing indoor soccer extremely hungover and my right ankle from running outside on a sloped sidewalk, it simply hurt too much to even do yoga. What's a girl to do? Use the bike or focus on upper body workouts? Well if you've ever taken a Pilates class you know that there is another option.

Pilates works the core, using your body weight as resistance training and kicking your butt along the way. The best part? For those of us with lower body injuries, most of the level one moves are done while seated or laying down. No pressure or pain on my injured body parts and I can feel the workout on my body. Today I woke up and my core was sore, my back was sore and my legs were sore. I still got a workout in, without further injuring myself or hitting up a gym. Can't complain about that!

What I use to do an at home Pilates workout is my Manduka Black Mat Pro with my eQua towel (to prevent slipping or sweating on my mat) and my iPhone. The app Studio Darien is a great app for those who have been to a Pilates class before. Giving you the entire workout in 22 minutes, granted Darien powers through the moves and I'm not as advanced as she is OR giving you a breakdown of each set. Video for every  move and if you're fast enough you can do it with Darien at lightning fast speed. Or if you're feeling like you have some cash to burn, you can take virtual classes with Darien on her website. It's what I'll be doing tonight when I get home from work.

Free Yoga :)

Align Pilates has kicked off a new and improved yoga program at their cute studio. And to help you get ready for all things Pilates and Yoga, they're offering free yoga classes from January 16-22. The catch is if you sign up but forget to cancel 24  hours prior to the class you'll get charged the full price for the class.

To sign up for the class click here. To find out more about the staff at Align Pilates click here.

And as always, remember Align offers a great deal called 'Save Your Buck Sundays' where instructors going through Align's Pilates Teacher Training teach the classes. Mat class is $5, Reformer and Barre classes are $10.

Donate a Gift for FREE Pilates :)

Tomorrow  at Align Pilates only, if you bring a new, unwrapped toy for St. Anne's Place which provides emergency housing / is a transitional center for women and children, you receive your class for free. Sign up now!

Free at Align Pilates

Who doesn't love free? When I received my monthly email update from Align Pilates I noticed they were offering two free classes while they 'audition' two new teachers. While I am unable to attend, I hope you go! The two classes they are offering are as follows:

Thursday, November 17, 2011
12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Barre Class

Tuesday, November 22, 2011
4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Yoga Class

You do need to sign up to reserve your spot (there may not be any spots left!) and you can do that here. Align also has a great new student offer, one week to try all of their classes out for $20. Try Pilates, Barre, Yoga and Prana Stretch for $20.

One Month Milestone: Time to Kick it up a Notch

Today marks the one month anniversary of my workout regime. As a motivation I try to do two things. First, I reward myself on every monthly anniversary with a nice pedicure for the hard work my feet have done (whether it’s running, Pilates, workout DVDs or Yoga they’ve kicked it up a notch.) The second? Well it’s to share what I’ve done, where I’m going, etc. with whomever reads this blog. Why? Because personal accountability is why people work out with friends or trainers.

My issue is I like my ‘me time’ when I work out. I like going to classes by myself, heading down to the workout area by myself, etc. I don’t want to socialize when it comes down to it. Classmates will socialize beforehand but rarely interrupt the actual workout (hence I am friendly with fellow classmates) and the same thing cannot be said of friends attending classes together. I need my independence, my ability to work at my own pace without judgement, and an escape from the daily grind without worrying about offending a friend if I advance at a faster or slower pace. I am there to improve myself, and in the end I need to worry about me. I know this sounds incredibly selfish but maybe we all need to be a bit more selfish when it comes to our health.

So today when I hit my one month anniversary I am not going to get a pedicure (that will be tomorrow) but kicking my workout up a notch and adding Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred back into my routine. When I started running I immediately started Pilates. I’m glad I did as the core workout will hopefully help me with Jillian. The reason I am adding a bit more strength training/cardio into my routine is to not only switch it up but also to build more muscle to burn more fat. The arms are the most noticeable area where you can tell if someone uses weights or not. Based on experienced trainers’ opinions, the addition of weights will kick up my metabolism, add muscle, burn fat and help change it up to keep me interested. In other words, get me one step closer to hitting my goals before my 27th birthday this August.

Pilates: The Real Deal

When I started Pilates three weeks ago (just going on Sundays) I knew it would be a different experience and a good workout but I never expected this. This being the transformation my body has begun, the complete difference in how I feel, stand, workout and increase in understanding my body. Cheesy? Probably. True? You better believe it. For anyone who wants to trim their fat, tone their body you should check out Pilates.

We've all heard that Pilates is a great workout and that it 'strengthen and elongates muscles' but I figured it would take weeks, months, maybe even years to really see/feel the results. Boy was I wrong. The first Sunday in June I attended my first Pilates class at Align Pilates. To say it was anything short of spectacular would be to commit libel. I was sore for two days afterwards, considering it worked muscles I usually didn't attend to the fact that running that Tuesday helped was a minor miracle. On Monday I was sitting at my office and sneezed. I usually sneeze in threes, and they're not quiet. I sneezed loudly and then whimpered in pain. My boss was in his office and asked me if i was okay, that's how much pain I was in. No, I didn't pull or strain any muscles I just never worked them that hard before either.

In three weeks my waist has lost inches. I've only lost two pounds but my pants aren't fitting due to excessive bagginess and the flab on my tummy is slowly disappearing. I have done a million different workout regimes, this is the only one that has had these results. I'm definitely a believer in Pilates, I plan on practicing the rest of my life and one day even becoming a certified instructor.

This past Sunday was my third class and it was easier than my first or second class. I was slowly building up my core muscles. I should mention, it was easier it was NOT easy. I've found myself looking forward to Sunday every week. It's an hour of 'me time'. I spend that hour focusing on my health, doing an activity I enjoy that is exercise at a studio I love. Isn't that what exercise should be like?

Workout Playlist: Interval Training on the Treadmill

There are few things in every day life where music matters more than while working out, if there are any. Yes, picking the perfect wedding song and music to walk down the aisle to are important and there should be a great deal of thought behind the song selection. However, nothing breaks your momentum more than working out and the wrong song comes on. You think you know what you're picking, you know the song needs to be semi-fast to work and that you have to like it, unfortunately that's not enough for most music.

It's taken me months, no actually it's taken me years to find the perfect playlist for a workout. One that I can listen to from start to fnish wthout pressing 'skip'. If you have songs you think are worthy of listening to while running send them my way. For now, here's my list, remember there is a warm up and cooldown included.

Courtney's Running List:
Tim McGraw - Where The Green Grass Grows (for walking down to the gym, getting machine started, etc.)
Glee - Raise Your Glass
Ke$ha - Tik Tok
Glee - Somebody to Love (Bieber version)
Miley Cyrus - Party in the USA
Taio Cruz feat. Ludacris - Break Your Heart
Escala feat. Slash - Kashmir (Instrumental)
Glee - Baby (Bieber version)
Natasha Bedingfeld - Unwritten
The Fratellis - Chelsea Dagger
P!nk - F**kin' Perfect

My First Groupon :)

Yesterday I ventured out and tried my hand at Pilates at Align Pilates. For the record, it kicked my butt yesterday and I'm still sore today. To say it was worth it is an understatement, I now get why people are flocking to Pilates in herds. Today when I opened my Groupon I saw that my Pilates studio was having a deal for Barre Class at Align Pilates. The deal? Four one-hour sessions of Barre class for $36. That's $9 a class. Being new to Groupon I had a $20 credit, so these classes are literally going to cost me $4 for each class. $4 for one hour of intense workout in a boutique studio. Yep, there won't be a ton of people in there with me, my Pilates classes fit six people, meaning my first timer embarrassment will be limited to five other people plus an instructor. Not too shabby. :) For the Align Pilates Barre Class Groupon deal click here.

Pilates? Yes Please!

Yesterday on Twitter I asked my followers their recommendations for Pilates or Yoga and the responses I received on both were overwhelming. I have already done Yoga in the past and knew how much it helped; I really saw a difference in my body from doing Yoga in terms of feeling more lean and less bulky. So what is the difference between the two and why should I invest time and money into Pilates when I can do my Yoga DVD at home?

The distinction between Yoga and Pilates is not easy to find, for one Yoga is often connected with spiritual history and processes that focus much more on reaching actualization than they do on what their physical aim is. Pilates is more straightforward.

The Pilates method seeks to increase the strength, flexibility and control of the body. Pilates is a body conditioning routine that helps to not only build flexibility, but also strength, endurance, and coordination in the legs, abdominals, arms and back.

Another site lists the benefits of Pilates and Yoga, citing they complement each other and one would benefit greatly from the combination of the two (which I plan to do - Yoga on Saturdays and Pilates on Sundays.) This site states that Pilates helps with the core, elongates muscles, etc. and Yoga's benefits are targeted towards the internal organs and overall health of the participant with the added bonus of stretching, flexibility, toning, balance as well.

I think fully understanding what you're getting yourself in for and why it's so good for you is essential to actually seeing it through. If you're looking for a good Yoga DVD I recommend 'The Biggest Loser Yoga' it's with Bob Harper and it's not as spiritually focused as some which I find to be boring but it definitely works. When I used it a few summers ago (it was free on Comcast under their Sports and Exercise section, I just recently purchased it on Amazon) I was running Lake Calhoun on a regular basis. I noticed immediately how elongated my legs looked and it felt great to stretch out as they recommended. My balance (which is awful) improved markedly and overall I felt great. I tried other Yoga workouts and never noticed the same results, often getting bored and listless during the workout and eventually dropping it from my routine all together.

And for those looking for a good Pilates exercise I suggest checking out local Pilates studios, there are often really good deals for newbies or to attend classes by a teacher in training. This upcoming Sunday I am taking my first ever Pilates class at Align Pilates in Uptown. Their 'Save Your Bucks Sunday' offers mat classes for $5 and reformer classes for $10, with personal one on one instruction for $20. So this Sunday I'll be on the mat, the following Sunday I'll be on the reformer. I'm excited to try something new, and for $30 a month to get a good workout in, I'll take it!

Reebok Easy Tones: Real Deal or Really Good Marketing Ploy?

Last year I convinced my Mom, or as I like to say CONvinced my Mom to buy me the Reebok Easy Tones and to buy herself the Sketchers Tone Ups. With the cold Minnesota winters I used the shoes for a month before packing them away until now. Since these shoes were purchased I have chatted about them with several people all with varying viewpoints, were these shoes legtimately going to help me shape up or did I just let my Mom getting conned twice over?

How does one measure whether or not the shoes are working well? For me it's not about whether the shoe actually works but whether it motivates you to get off your butt and go for a walk. When I first got these last year it felt like I was walking through sand and my body was sore afterwards. This past weekend I went for two long walks and was walking at a brisk pace. My body ached in my shins, hamstrings and gluteous maximus. Could it have been the hills, speed walking, and the fact that I hadn't worked out for at least three weeks due to vacations and being sick? Sure. Did the shoes feel good when I walked around in them? Yes. Did I like walking outdoors in them versus my indoor running shoes? Definitely. Thus far, even if the shoes do nothing different for me than a regular shoe the fact that they are cushiony for my bum knee really helps. It makes me that much more likely to lace them up and grab the dog for a walk. That alone means the shoes are working. That alone means they were worth it.

My Uncle told me that scientifically the shoes are designed to ease tension and strain on your lower back as they extend the hamstring muscle which works the body differently. A friend and I discussed the shoes and she thought that they were a genius marketing ploy, although she strongly urged that they were the worst idea in the world for running (the new Reebok run-tone had just come out.) Convincing people to get off their butts and walk is great, especially with America being so overweight right now. If that's all the shoes do then more power to them. However, with running, I am hesitant to recommend the Reebok Runtone.

Walk into any running shoe store (as you really should be going to a specialty store, they work with your stride) and you'll see different types of shoes. Some are for overpronation, others underpronation. There are different things that each shoe addresses. Each company has many shoes that will have different purposes. If you are an overpronator who is running long distance outdoors who needs extra stability you'll be different than the underpronator who runs a 5k on their treadmill. However, most of these shoes offer stability. The concept of the Runtone is the opposite of that, it states, "Balance ball-inspired pods with Moving Air Technology transfer air in response to your stride and create micro-instability with every step." Whether micro-instability is enough to make you roll your ankle, I wouldn't even give it a chance. Most serious runners will wear Mizuno, Asics, etc. Even go for the Reebok Zigtag, a great crosstrainer. Grab the Easy Tones for your walking shoes. But for running, hit up a Running Room or Runner's Roost store near you and have them customize what you should be wearing. 

The Ultimate Single Project

This past weekend my cousin Brittany got married. It was a beautiful wedding in Palm Coast, FL at the Hammock Beach Resort. It was wonderful to see my family, lay out on the beach, eat, drink and be merry. So when the reception rolled around and they started playing 'Single Ladies' by Beyonce beofre the bouquet toss and I was standing up there having a mini crisis about being 26 and still terminally single, I made a deal with myself.

IF I am going to be attending weddings (next one is my girl Kiersten's wedding on my 27th birthday in Vail, CO) then I need to make it more fun. So my two options are: A) Do something unsavory and possibly requiring vaccinations afterwards. OR B) Learn the Single Ladies dance and rock out before the bouquet toss next time. While both are enticing, for the purposes of not receiving a phone call from my mother I'll choose option B.

So here's my goal: Learn the Single Ladies dance before August 13, 2011. I'll break it down on hard it is, tips to help you learn how to do the dance and of course, all the major goof-ups I've had (because let's be honest, this is a gong show waiting to happen.)

If you have tips on how to perform this dance, the advice is appreciated!

Favorite New Charity

Thank goodness for Twitter!  Connecting people around the world and letting everyone know what you think about the game, the movie or the President's SOTU speech.  But there are other great things about Twitter as well.  Take the account www.twitter.com/giveyoursole (you can visit their site here) This group organizes shoe collections at races.  Simple enough, donate moderately worn shoes to one of the collection sites this group puts together and help the shoe-less around our country.

Pampering

Right now I'm training for three races, 1 definite 5k and two races where it's a toss up between a 5k & a 10k depending on how well I train. Those two races are also a week apart. This much training requires a few things.

1. Quality running shoes. If you are looking for any help with running shoes visit Run n Fun in St. Paul off of Grand Ave or The Running Room at its multiple locations. If you join Running Room's club you can get 20% off of your shoes.

2. Treating yourself to some treats. Such as pedicures, getting adjusted, massages, etc. For a quality pedicures along the way to treat yourself for all your hard work. Try Red Nails in St. Paul's Highland Park - not only did they get ranked #1 but they have a nice coupon online that gives you free stuff. I got one, and one hour and fifteen minutes later my feet were in heaven. A great place for massages is Keep In Touch - my bosses got me a massage there and I felt so cleansed energy wise, though I did have to go get adjusted for my sore muscles shortly afterward at Marty Chiropractic in my office building (quite convenient!) and she gives you packets of my favorite BioFreeze!

3. IcyHot/Benegay/BioFreeze/Freeze It - Basically anything the elderly take for their sore aches and bones, I use on my thighs and back.

Obviously some good running music helps so leave comments on your favorite tunes so I can add them to my iPod!

Boston Scientific 5K

In my attempt to train for a 10K this summer in Milwaukee, I have decided to also participate in a 5K for Boston Scientific this summer in Minneapolis at Lake Nokomis. Don't get me wrong, I do not like running. I do it because my pants don't fit and I eat unhealthy amounts of butter. Otherwise, I wouldn't run unless something was chasing me.

My dear friend Keri, errr Kara as others know her as, has recently invited me to gruel it out once a week with her at Como Park. There's a brief instruction by a fitness trainer at the beginning and then an hour and a half to train. We plan to yuck it up with gossip, girl talk, and just our thoughts. It's perfect because I still live in Saint Paul until May 30th, and then after that I can drive once a week to train and make myself somewhat less unhealthy.

For those of you who are unable to attend the weekly training session, try this wonderful website I was introduced to last week, it's called Runner's World which has information on anything you could ever want or need as a runner. Where to buy shoes, how to buy shoes, what shoes to buy. Where to train, how often to train, how long to train, and techniques to make you train better. It's a great resource for anyone in the running world, novice or expert.

For more information on the 5k & 10k on Lake Nokomis on July 25th, 2009 check out the website here!