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The Perfect Fall Saturday

Sitting here on the couch at 9:21 tonight, it’s safe to say that today has been pretty amazing! In fact, it has been the perfect Fall Saturday!

After a wonderful dinner with Frank and Melissa last night at David Burke Kitchen, Bo and I were both up early this morning.

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He was off to Dutch Springs, Pennsylvania for a day of technical diving training while I met Marcial at Central Park for our last long run together before the marathon.

The park was alive with Fall colors and fellow runners. As soon as we walked through the gate at 79th and Fifth Avenue we felt the energy.

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We even had a a furry friend wish us good luck for our six mile loop of Central Park before we set off to conquer the hills. Meet Caramel, the most adorable miniature poodle.

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It was appropriate for Marcial and I to end my training with a full loop of the Park. Before today, Marcial had never conquered the full loop and while I have run it many times before, I’ve always feared the hills and never been able to keep a consistent pace. Today’s humidity and warmer than expected temperatures didn’t scare us though. We spent an hour chatting through the hills and gaining inspiration from other runners and peace from the calming, warm Autumn colors. We were all smiles when we were done as our pace was stronger than expected (10:12 pace) and the warm weather made me realize that I needed to re-think my marathon outfit.

After we parted ways I headed back downtown to meet Laura for an Uplift workout and brunch date that was long overdue. We’ve been trying to catch up with each other but due to busy schedules it had been ages. We enjoyed an hour Uplifting: Total Body Cardio/Strength with Weights class courtesy of Michelle who was an amazing instructor. She catered an easier version of each leg move for me so I wouldn’t kill my legs since the marathon is only a week away.

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How adorable were there little clementine pumpkins, greeting sweaty ladies after the workout. We spent the rest of the morning catching up over quiche and coffee at the Le Pain Quotidien around the corner.

After brunch I spent the next hour or two wandering through Union Square Farmer’s Market buying ingredients for tonight’s dinner and then heading over to Nike to buy a backup marathon shirt in case it’s too warm to wear my long sleeve Lululemon top. I’ve loved wearing my red Run NYC Miler shirt during summer training and think it could be a great backup since I know it well already.

Nike Miler Short-Sleeve Women's Running Shirt

After an afternoon of shopping, errand running and cleaning the apartment Meg came over to watch the Georgia vs Florida game. We had a complete blast! The game was amazing and Meg makes one epic cheese plate which pairs perfectly with Dogfish Head Pumpkin Ale!

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(above picture source)

After cheering on the Dawgs during an amazing win over Florida, Meg and I ventured out to do some pre “hurricane” shopping which included stops at 71 Irving for more coffee grounds, Bedford Cheese for more cheese, bread and pickles, the bodega for beer, fruit, ice, and Coconut Water. Clearly, us Georgia kids aren’t phased too much by a Category 1 hurricane after living through far worse. It doesn’t hurt that as part of Bo’s technical scuba gear we have multiple flashlights, plenty of batteries, and still have supplies from the last storm scare. I must say that it’s times like this that make us thankful to not live downtown anymore, right on the water.

Upon returning from our shopping trip, Bo had also returned from diving and the three of us enjoyed a dinner of lamb chops, brussels sprouts and roasted baby potatoes fresh from the Union Square Farmers Market.

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Yup, I’m pretty sure this is the perfect Saturday evening. While we are missing our dear friends Halloween party which we’ve enjoyed every year, this year our marathon bodies really craved rest over a long night out with the crowds.

Let me here it! Are you a college football fan? If so who is your team? I’m a proud UGA alum and therefore always root for the Dawgs and thanks to my dad’s roots I’ve been cheering on the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame since I was old enough to be a Notre Dame cheerleader for Halloween at the age of 3!

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An Uplifting Start to My Sunday

I have at least 2 more Vermont posts coming including a phenomenal restaurant review, but it’s 8:45 and I am quickly fading. Therefore, tonight’s will be a bit shorter and instead be a recap of an awesome workout class I enjoyed today back in the city!

After a wonderful weekend in Vermont, my brother had an early (6:20am!!) flight out of the Albany Airport this morning. Instead of making him figure out a car service, I offered to drive him to the airport on my way back to the city. While I’d normally stay in Manchester until around noon on a Sunday, leaving early actually gave me the opportunity to enjoy the best of both worlds: a weekend in Vermont but a Sunday in New York City with Bo!

We were up and out the door by 4am in order to ensure he arrived at the airport an hour in advance. By the time he jumped out of the car and I moved into the driver’s seat it was clear that coffee needed to be the next order of business. Luckily, there was a Starbucks on the road where I could get a much needed iced coffee while also snagging a perfect oatmeal for breakfast.

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By 8:30 I was walking back home from the rental car office in the West Village, ready to enjoy a wonderful Sunday in the city.

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Since Bo didn’t get home until the wee hours of the night after a bachelor party, I decided to unpack and organize while he slept and then slip back out of the house for a quality workout. Maybe it was the four hours in the car this morning or the three glasses of wine last night, but I was craving a hard core, sweaty workout. After consulting the Equinox schedule and seeing that there weren’t any classes I really wanted, I decided to take advantage of the Uplift Studios new client special and squeeze a class in between a run.

I enjoyed a 3 mile run around Gramercy and Madison Square Park before hopping into Uplift Studios for their 55 minute 10am Uplifted class. Helena greeted me at the front desk and offered me a bottle of water and cup of coffee, on the house, before suggesting I head into the locker room to change before the class. Their inspiring messages greeted me in the locker room as I wiped the sweat off and dropped off my jacket in exchange for a workout towel.

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Today was my first time taking the 55 minute Uplifting class but based on the class description I figured it’d leave me sweating just as much as the weights and cardio portion of the Fit & Flow class.  Here’s the description from their website:

Uplifting
This total-body class focuses on strength training, using dumbbells, balls, resistance bands and body weight exercises to work all the major muscle groups to a point of fatigue, while incorporating plyometrics and cardio bursts throughout the workout to boost the fat burn.  You’ll leave feeling uplifted in more ways than one.  (Images source and source)

As soon as I entered the studio, Chelsea, the instructor greeted me with a huge smile and told me I’d be in for a treat. Helena was right when she said that Chelsea’s personality and fun was contagious. For the next 55 minutes I did moves that I’ve never done before in any of my workout experiences while jamming to an awesome playlist including some old favorites like Eminem, that helped push me through the last few seconds of each move. The class was killer from minute 0 to 55.

This was one of the more creative classes I’ve taken, using tools such as a dyna band to add resistance and spicing up normal movements like prisoner squats or even jogging in place by adding weights or combination moves. I was drenched just five minutes into class and the mirror in front of the studio kept my focus on form and ensuring that I wasn’t cheating. There is no where to hide in a studio like Uplifts because there are no “columns” or back row spots!

A few things that I find consistent in every Uplift class and love thus far:

  1. Instructors take the class right along with you for at least 1/2 of each set when not correcting the other students. This helps you see perfect form and feel like they too are feeling the burn.
  2. They use the count down method, letting you know how long each set is going to be and also telling you when you’re 1/2 way, 1/4 way, and then finally done. It really helps you know when to give the final push.
  3. Heart rate is kept up the whole time by using intervals. While I hated every second of our burpees with a lateral shuffle, the bursts of cardio helped me break a sweat early and keep my heart rate up every time she added them, every 5 minutes or so.

If you want to read more about Chelsea’s Uplifting class, check out this review on Rate Your Burn which echoes many of the same thoughts!

Rant or Rave? Do you like the countdown method or would you rather not know? Do you like creative moves in a class or more traditional ones?

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Uplift Studios

When Bo and I moved to Gramercy two years ago, we never knew that it was going to become the hot spot for workout classes. Now it seems like there is a new studio opening on a daily basis within a few block radius of our apartment. While this doesn’t always bode well for my wallet since I belong to Equinox, I do love trying new boutique fitness classes, especially when the studio is owned by someone whom I’ve worked with before!

Back in June of 2010, right after I started my blog, I discovered Leanne Shear’s through a Daily Candy event she hosted in Central Park. This brunette inspired me as soon as I stepped into her presence; radiating a positive attitude and healthy physique. She exudes the idea that fit is the new skinny, pushing her clients to find a balanced lifestyle while incorporating strength and yoga into their normal cardio routines. Back in 2010 I loved every second of her Fit & Flow class in Central Park which included 45 minutes of sweat producing cardio followed by 30 minutes of yoga stretching on the grass. While the time nor location was convenient for me, this was a class I raved about to everyone who’d listen.

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Then, last year, I was able to work with her through a BeFitNYC partnership, bringing a free bootcamp to readers and locals. Each time I take her class, I question my Equinox membership and whether it’d be better to work with her.

Therefore, when I found out that their new space, Uplift Studios, opened in Flatiron, I couldn’t wait to try out their classes and experience the new studio.   IMG_2653 Located at 24 West 23rd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenue, the bright studio welcomes women as soon as the cross the threshold with bright colors, perfect use of mirrors, plenty of tea, water, and post workout snacks, a full locker room featuring all the products you need to get ready, and even more surprising, a full service bar!

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The bar allows for socializing before and after classes, as well as the perfect place for their popular Raise the Bar classes which bring together an intense 45 minute workout followed by a wine, chocolate, or cocktail tasting class. I love the fact that these women understand that life is a balance and that all good things, including cocktails, come in moderation. Their attitude is contagious whether you’re talking with Leanne and her team of founders or any one of their staff including personal trainers and nutritionists.

Uplift Studio’s co-founders, from left, Helena Wolin, Katie Currie and Leanne Shear seek to infuse the camaraderie of social drinking into their gym classes. (image compliments of Huffington Post)

Melissa and I had the chance to visit the studio for a Cardio and Cocktails special event class so we could see what it was all about. Not only did I love the class, I’m already working with them to put together one as an upcoming reader event but I also love the idea of doing this to kick off a birthday or celebratory weekend!

The class we attended was hosted by Michelle Mason, a bubbly trainer on their staff who knows personally how difficult the weight loss journey can be, especially in NYC. After introducing herself to the group she stressed the importance of form and intensity to everyone since our class was only 30 minutes. She promised, however, that if we pushed ourselves through each circuit we would not only leave sweating but we’d boost our heart rate and get a great cardiovascular and strength workout. 

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While I normally stick to longer classes or workouts, her combination delivered on her promise! The class included a mix of circuits after a short cardio warmup to get our body ready. The strength section included three series, repeated twice. The movements were combinations so it engaged our whole body: squats with an overhead press, lunges with kickbacks, and more. In between, she took us through burpees and squat jumps.

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Last but not least, she took us through a challenging ab sequence before a final stretch and cool down.

Every single lady in the class was sweating within minutes of the start and by the time we finished our last plank we were all collapsing on the floor in defeat, even one of Fitness Magazine’s editors who is in amazing shape!

If you’re interested in giving Uplift Studios a try, check out their special 50% off rate for first time students! In addition, they have 30 minute classes throughout the week which only cost $18 and can be bought in packs for a great savings. In reviewing the Uplift Studio class schedule, I’d love to try the following classes:

  • Fit and Flow Express
  • Uplifting
  • Power Yoga
  • Raise the Bar (clearly)

*I was provided with a complimentary class through Go Recess but the review and opinions are all my own.

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