6 mile Bike Ride

Welcome to Try-Athlete the blog where I try the latest fitness and diet trends so you don't have to. This week was a little different for me because I kind of pulled a muscle in my lower abs. I couldn't do much core work because I was in pain so it kind of limited my workouts. I couldn't do Insanity or Asylum because you use your core a lot in those and I didn't want to hurt the muscle further.
I just purchased a bike last week, a one- speed beach cruiser. So why not take that out for a spin. Being the Try-Athlete I always want to challenge myself so I thought why not add ankle weights to my legs for my bike ride.
After I had strapped on each 2 lbs ankle weight on to each leg I opened my Charity Miles app and chose "bike" and then chose the charity I wanted to bike for Vision Spring a charity that helps people see. Charity Miles if your not familiar with it is an app that every time you go for a walk, run or bike ride donates money to a charity of your choice. I use it every time I run, walk or bike; not only am I bettering myself but I'm also helping others when I exercise.
I was now ready for my bike ride I set out on my usual route. I should mention the weather in Palm Springs, CA had been hitting triple digits daily but I didn't let that stop me, my ride started around 5pm so it had cooled off a bit I believe it was in the low 90s.
Biking with a one speed beach cruiser is a lot easier than a mountain bike so there I was listening to my music with my headphones on and pedaling with my ankle weights on. I tried to pedal as fast as possible and not coast at all. After biking for about a half hour I was on a very bump run-down street and that's when it started to get hard to pedal because I had so much friction and resistance from the road. It was a street paved in tar that was run-down so it had a lot of little bumps, my ankle weights started to feel heavier at this point.
So I started to head back to my house but then looked at my phone and saw that I had a little more than half a mile left and I would have biked 6 miles. Well I couldn't go back now I had to hit 6 miles so I continued on. My butt kind started bothering me and I had to keep readjusting and the next day that area was soar. I pedaled and pedaled and I finally hit 6 miles on my Charity Miles app. Yes I had done it, my legs were a little soar but overall I felt good, I wasn't dripping with sweat which I think is do to the fact that my bike is a one-speed and not a mountain bike. I would recommend this workout to some one who wanted a relaxing lower body workout, you don't really have to think a lot during this workout but your still working and you will feel it the next day. I'm pretty excited about my next ride, until next time stay fit!

Running at 8,500 feet

Welcome to Try-athlete the blog where I try the latest fitness and diet trends so you don't have to. Today I went for a run but I did it the way an ultimate fighter would I ran at 8,500 feet at the top of a mountain. I remember watching something about Tito Ortiz where he was training for a fight and he went to high elevation to train.
In Palm Springs, Ca where I live one of the main tourist attractions is the Aerial tram. It takes you up the mountain 8,500 feet to a climate very different than the desert. Instead of 108 degree weather it's 60 and instead of sand and palm trees it's dirt and pine trees. A cool breeze runs through the forest and the views are majestic.
There are many hiking trails at the top of the mountain so since I'm try-athlete and I decided to try running some of these trails. I started with the Desert View (1.5 miles) trail, it had 5 notches where it gave breathtaking views of the whole desert hence the trail name "Desert View." I ran to each notch and took pictures of each vista point. At some points I couldn't run because of the rocky terrain. I finished that trail and was thirsty for more so I ran the Nature trail (.75 miles), I felt like one with nature on my run I had to stop at one point to take a picture because the view was so beautiful.
After I finished that trail I decided to try one more trail the Adventure trail I ran it for probably half a mile and then saw that it went straight up into the mountain and was more like rock climbing so I turned back but will save that one for another trip. I thought because of the elevation change it would be tougher to run and I would be out of breath but surprisingly I felt pretty much the same as when I run at my house. My knees started to bother me and that's when I knew it was time to stop, but I still wanted to do more so I found a secluded picnic bench and started doing crunches I did sets of 20 of every crunch I could think of, I did this for 8 minutes and then after about a 3 mile run and a core workout I was ready to leave and head back down the mountain.
Overall I would definitely go back up the tram and go for a run, one reason being its so hot here right now I can't run. I also really enjoyed the nature I was surrounded by I saw lizards and squirrels and all different kinds of trees and plant life. Overall I would recommend going for a run at an elevated level but I would also recommend preparing for it eating before and staying hydrated are very important. Until next time stay fit!

Candle Light Hot Power Yoga

Welcome to Try-Athlete the blog where I try all the latest fitness and diet trends so you don’t have to. This week I attended a yoga class at one of the local yoga studios called Power Yoga. I had been to this studio before but I had never tried a hot power yoga class or a class by candle light. In this hot power yoga class the room was 105 degrees so as soon as I went into the class I was sweating, not a lot but I could tell I was hot.

The candle light kind of brings a calming effect and a sense of serenity. We started by centering ourselves in mountain pose, standing straight up with your hands above you, fingers and hands touching. We leaned to the left and then to the right stretching our obliques, we then went into a sun salutation combo. Arms stretch out and you fold in half, flat back, then down into downward facing dog. We weren't moving that fast but a good 15-20 seconds in each pose and then the sweat started pouring. I didn’t even know I had that much water in me, beads of sweat started rolling off my forehead down my cheek. I also got a glance at my calves and shins and they were glistening because they were covered in sweat. I do the insanity workout and I sweat but this was another level of sweat, doing anything in 105 degrees will make you sweat.

Even though I was sweating I felt strong and powerful in this class connecting my mind with my body. The teacher’s voice was soothing and each time she had us transition into another move it was calming and energizing. We did warrior 1 and 2 and I felt the most confident in those poses and worked on my breath.

Next we did some core work to upbeat music, this class had a little bit of everything. I enjoyed the core series because I knew I was working hard during this segment it was a power series so it was fast pasted and I was dripping sweat and had to towel off many times during and after.

At the end of class we did corpse pose and I relaxed in this pose and dedicated my practice to a friend’s mom who is very sick and in the hospital. I sent positive energy her way and really concentrated on clearing my mind.

After class I felt invigorated and fresh, my clothes were wet from the sweat but I felt a real sense of accomplishment and was really happy I went to the class. I found out a few days later my friend’s mom had a complete turn around and was feeling much better. Overall I would recommend hot power yoga by candle light to someone that wants to connect their mind and body and get a great workout. I'm already planning on going next week, so until next time stay fit!

Cross-Spin

Welcome to Try-Athlete the blog where I try the latest fitness and diet trends so you don't have to. This week I tried cross-spin, as a spinning virgin I didn't know what I was getting myself into. Cross-spin is a spin class but with added elements, so you are not just spinning the whole time.
During the first song (you do a different activity each song) we pedaled and we lifted ourselves off our seat when the instructor would cue us "up, down, up, down" I was dripping sweat within the first song but it felt good.
Next song we grabbed a hand weight and we continued to pedal but instead of holding the handle bars of the bike we held the hand weight in one hand and did various reps targeting biceps, triceps, shoulders and back. We were now using our legs to pedal, our arms to lift the hand weight and our abs to hold us steady and not fall off the bike while we were doing all of this.
Next song we pedaled and got off the bike to do squats and lunges. We would pedal real hard and then get off and do squats and get back on pedal real hard again and then jump off and do lunges.
Each song in the class wasn't your typical 3 minute song, each song was 7-9 minutes but the song selection was very important because each song was uplifting and energizing so the songs kept you going even when you were tired and sweat was dripping down your face and body.
The song "New York" came on by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys and every time they sang "New York" we had to turn the resistance up on our bike. I'm not sure if you have listened to that song in awhile but they say "New York" like a thousand times. Ok maybe not that many but at the end of the song my legs were burning and it was a slower pedal due to all the resistance.
The most intense part of this workout was when the song "Firework" by Katy Perry came on and we were told to race during the chorus. To race you can stay seated or lift up your seat and them just pedal as fast as possible. I'm always choosing the hardest modification so I chose to lift my seat up and pedal like crazy without sitting back down till the chorus was over. I actually love that song so I let it energize me and I pedaled faster and faster.
At the end of this class it was about an hour long I felt energized, refreshed and ready for the day. It was a great way to start the day and I knew I would be sore but it was worth it. I thought a spin class only worked your lower body but in this cross-spin class I worked everything legs, arms, abs and glutes. Overall I would recommend this class to a friend that wanted a full body workout and wasn't afraid of the stationary bike and a lot of sweat. The teacher was really great of this class so I think that made it better too. I had tremendous energy after this class and felt great for the rest of the day. Don't be afraid to try new things you might end up liking them, until next week stay fit.

One Week Without Sugar

Welcome to Try-Athlete the blog where I try all the latest fitness and diet trends so you don't have to. One week without sugar could you do it? Sugar is in almost everything, their is natural sugar like the sugar that is in fruit and then their is refined cane sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, evaporated cane juice the list goes on and on. So for one week I cut sugar out completely which meant no alternative sweeteners either no honey or agave even though I believe those aren't bad for you I wanted to see what it was like not having that added sweetness. Natural sugars were allowed because fruit is healthy and delicious and nature's sugar.
Let me start out by telling you that I have a major sweet tooth and I love my desserts. I was interested when I read up about having a sweet tooth to find out it doesn't really exist it's just your taste buds and food cravings rearing its ugly head. In nutrition class I found out that if you had desserts after every meal as a kid you would always crave that because you were used to it but you can always retrain yourself too. I don't indulge in donuts, cakes and really unhealthy desserts but I enjoy my frozen yogurt and dark chocolate and always want dessert after dinner. I used to put sugar in my coffee but broke that habit last year after having a cavity filled at the dentist.
I started my no sugar week with plain oatmeal for breakfast with no sugar added, I sometimes add nuts, fresh fruit, unsweetened almond milk or coconut oil but no sugar. It was pretty easy to stay away from sugar for breakfast because I usually did already. Lunch I usually ate salads but made sure the dressing didn't have sugar in it. I work in a restaurant that makes all dressing from scratch so was able to ask which dressing did or did not have sugar in them. I also had rice cakes with almond butter for lunch and bananas, other fruits or nuts for snacks during the day.
Dinner was easy not to incorporate sugar because I had fish and ground turkey with sautéed vegetables so I didn't need sugar. The challenge came at the end of dinner when I would usually reach for the chocolate or want some ice cream or frozen yogurt. The first night was the hardest night I had a cranberry natural tea instead of dessert but was still craving sugar. The next day I did feel like I had more energy and it was getting easier not to think about sweets and lack of sugar. On my third day of no sugar one of my co-workers brought a box of mini chocolate donuts to work and although I normally don't crave donuts they looked good because I hadn't had any sugar for a few days. I didn't have one but it was tempting. I'm a woman of my word and when I start something I finish it.
I noticed that I wasn't able to have a lot of processed food because when reading the labels almost everything had sugar added to it. I usually eat healthy but noticed that I was eating even healthier this week. I feel really good and have a lot of energy so I decided to continue and do a month of no sugar.
Overall I would recommend trying no sugar for a week sort of to detox yourself from sugar because it is a highly addictive food. And if you can get over that addiction you will feel and look good. Until next week stay fit!

Juicing

Welcome to Try-Athlete the blog where I try all the latest fitness and diet trends so you don't have to. This past week was all about juicing. Juicing is the latest fitness trend to hit Hollywood by storm. Celebrities like supermodel Heidi Klum juice before red carpet events to slim down and fit into that perfect dress.
A few reasons why I started juicing was juicing helps you absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables. Juicing allows you to consume an optimal amount of vegetables in an efficient manner. And you can add a wider variety of vegetables in your diet. I am always eager to try new and exciting diets so I replaced one meal a day with fresh juice.
I watched a film recently called "Fat, sick and nearly dead" where a man who was fat, sick and nearly dead changed his life by juicing for 30 days. This film was extremely inspirational and one of the reasons I decided I would juice.
I own my own juicer and juice places have popped up all over the place in the past year. On my way to Los Angeles, on Thursdays I always stop at this place called Juice it Up and I always get a fresh juice. I usually get the Immunizer- spinach, apples, celery and lemon. I like getting green juices because I get my fruits and vegetables from them.
The first couple days of this juice cleanse I felt a little light headed when I supplemented the juice for a regular meal. I felt like I needed something more but I stuck with it. Everyday got better and by the end of the week I was craving juice and started juicing for lunch and dinner.
Last year my boyfriend and I got really into juicing and we started juicing every night almost. So I guess you can say I already liked juicing and getting my nutrients that way. They only downfall to juicing is cleaning you juicer. You basically have to drink your juice while you clean your machine because you get the most nutrients from your juice within 15 minutes of juicing. And if you leave your juicer after you juice and don't clean it your juicer gets really gross.
I can believe how fast this week went by I think I'm going to continue juicing because now I'm so into it and its so good for you. I would recommend to a friend juicing once a day to get the vital nutrients you body needs. The first days are always the hardest days but if you get through those you will feel refreshed and invigorated. Until next time stay fit!

Ode to Asylum

Beachbody has created one of the most popular workout DVD sets with P90x and Insanity. After completing Insanity and working out to those same videos for about 2 years I decided it was time to try Asylum the next series after Insanity with the same trainer ShaunT.
Asylum intrigued me because it's about training like an athlete. The workouts consist of interval training with moves that professional athletes do. One morning I was sucked into the Asylum infomercial with Olympian Apolo Anton Ohno and I was hooked I called and ordered the series immediately . The basic version is the 30 day program their is a deluxe version but I wanted to start with the 30 day program.
When I received the DVD set in the mail I was so excited, and started immediately. I had been working out here and there but now I was committed to the Asylum 30 day plan. The first couple of days kicked my caboose, I could barely finish certain moves like walking push-ups. I continued day by day even though it as tough and the sweat was dripping off me everyday.
One of the videos is called Speed & Agility an intense cardio interval 50 minute workout harder than any other workout DVD I had done. It quickly become my challenge that I needed to overcome. Throughout the 30 days I got better and better at Speed & Agility and moves called "bear-crawl" and "in&out abs". Gradually I started to get stronger and more toned.
At the end of the 30 days I took my after photos and could see a change and more that that I felt a change inside. My mind was clearer and I felt like I could do anything. I completed this very tough workout out and felt a great sense of accomplishment.
Overall I would recommend Asylum to friends and other fitties because its a great workout that focuses on cardio and strength. Committing to a 30 day workout plan and finishing it makes you feel really good about yourself. Until next time stay fit!