I Like to Move It!

Hey Cheaply Fit readers, sorry for the hiatus, but its been a hectic few weeks. Anyway, I'm back in action. After I got home from work tonight, I opted out of happy hour with some friends and dragged my tired ass out for a three-mile jog around the neighborhood. It felt great and I was so proud I pushed myself to do it.  It was definitely the great tunes blasting through my headphones, compliments of Pandora, that kept me going.  The songs were so good that when I walked into my apartment I couldn't help myself. I broke out into dance. This solo dance party lasted about 30 minutes.  I think I'm ready for "Dancing with the Stars."

Between my run and my dance party, I did about an hour and a half of cardio and I feel great! Not only did I have a blast, but I've come to the realization that in my past life I was definitely a professional dancer; not so much a professional runner.  I absolutely love to dance.  It makes me very happy. With so much chaos surrounding my life these last few weeks, I feel like those worries have been tucked away. I'm ready to face the world or at least the L.A. world for now.

Anyway, I say when you can't get to a class I encourage all of you take some time to go for a walk or run around the hood and, in the words of Lady Gaga, just dance!

On another note, there have been some great deals out there on Living Social and Groupon, if you haven't noticed. Cardio Barre and Circuit Works to name a few. Don't you worry, you'll hear all about them in the upcoming weeks!

Also, I just want to thank all of you who have been supporting me through this venture and sending me the deals to keep me going. It means a lot to me.

<3 Me

Pilates Meets Boxing!

Ladies, if you haven't yet, you need to try Piloxing! Relax! It's not as scary as it sounds! Designed by Viveca Jensen exclusively for women,  it incorporates Pilates and boxing into an hour long interval workout.  In just one class, it's possible to burn 400+ calories. The workout combines cardio and strength training; utilizing weighted boxing gloves, your own body strength and fun dance moves. The first 45 minutes is nonstop intervals and the last 15 minutes is floor work i.e. core and stretching. At the end of each class, the group of amp'd up women shout out the workout's mantra: Sleek, Sexy and Powerful.  I certainly leave each class feeling as such.  Every sweat gland in my body is spewing in a good way. 


I'm lucky enough to have the original studio with Viveca herself at my fingertips.  I recommend her class as well as Cortney's. I absolutely love them both!  My experience with both instructors is that they have a way of making us feel confident in ourselves and our bodies.  It must be their awesome personalities and positive attitudes. Definitely contagious! 


I have to point out just how aware they are of everyone of their students.  They're very adamant about technique and making sure each person uses proper form.  So no matter the size of the class,  it's nice to know special attention is given to everyone when needed.  It speaks volumes when instructors actually take the time to help their students maximize their fullest potential.  


When I take Piloxing, I feel leaner, stronger, more flexible and overall more sexy and beautiful.  It's a very pleasant and empowering environment. I feel an unspoken bond amongst my fellow Piloxers in the sea of hot pink and black; which just so happens to be my favorite color combination! No hostility, just a united front. 


First class at the studio is $10 and gloves are provided for first timers only.  If you don't have access to the studio, I recommend buying the DVD or finding a club that offers it.  It's a rapidly growing workout that's expanding both nationally and internationally.  Get on it! 




www.piloxing.com

Playing in the L.A. Playground

Since moving to L.A, I haven't joined a gym, but have still managed to lose weight and stay active (aside from this rut I'm in).  I found this city is its own gym, just have to do a little exploration for the right proverbial machine.  One of my favorite discoveries has been the amazing hiking trails all over the area.  I try to do it as often as I can because, given the right trail, it is an incredible aerobic exercise. It's also a great way to clear your head and get focused.

Runyon Canyon, probably the most well-known by Angelenos, is a 130 acre park in the heart of Hollywood. It has quite the view of the city, and most importantly it is quite the place for people watching.  However, when it's excruciatingly hot outside it tends to smell like dog urine.  Walk with caution so you don't step in a pile of dog feces left behind by some irresponsible pet owner.   Another downside: it can often be too crowded.  Hmm it doesn't sound at all appealing, but it really does have it's perks. I promise.  For instance, my favorite part of this trail are the steps going from the Hollywood side up to Mulholland Drive. It is a great cardio workout and your gluteus maximus will thank you.  Hikers beware!  This trek is not for beginners or anyone with medical conditions.

If you live in the Valley, like me, I recommend checking out Fryman Canyon. It's never crowded and the three mile loop will undoubtedly leave you sweating and reaching for your water bottle.  Despite an occasional rattlesnake siting, this hike is my go to place if I don't feel like dealing with the Runyon scene or driving too far. The first 15 minutes is all uphill, so if you're with a friend, prepare for silence during the climb. It will literally take your breath away. And yes, I did say rattlesnake!

Finding Shelter at Yoga Shelter

A dear friend of mine told me about a special at a local yoga studio, Yoga Shelter in Studio City.  One week of free yoga. Hell yes!!  I’ve always wanted to be a self-proclaimed Yogi, but my flexibility and an accident I suffered several years ago that split my elbow in two has been standing in my way.  I figured my elbow has had plenty of time to heal so it was time to give it a try at a price no one can refuse. 

I decided to take a Wednesday evening class; Slow Flow with Jessica. The lights were dim and music played very softly. It wasn't the standard meditation Yogi music. No. Jessica picked a good mix of modern artists that had a soothing sound. Like the artists singing over the speakers, Jessica’s voice was also calming. We began the class.  Downward Dog to Warrior to Push up, back into Downward Dog and then Child’s Pose.  I was definitely happy I went and couldn’t wait to come back for another class.  It was a chance for me to let go of so much of the negatively I've been allowing to cloud my life.  

I took two more classes during that free week.  My experiences were much different. The second class was with Rob. He had a very cool vibe with a little bit of bad boy to him. I was intrigued. The music playing was still slow paced, but this time it was very somber.  It was a little difficult to release some of that negativety when the music spoke of heart break, and having been dealing with this, I found myself unfocused and in tears. After the class, I talked about this with my friend in that class and she had a similar experience. Ironically enough we felt great after. 

My final class was with Eric; it was the class that I liked the least. It was a little too preachy for the yogi beginner. The following week after my free week was up, I was notified of a special they were running for that day only. $50 for nine classes. Sold! Five bucks a class!  Perfect for the budget.  I would highly recommend checking out Jessica's Slow Flow class, I don't think you'll be disappointed. 

http://www.yogashelter.com/index2.php?place=SC

My Fitness Pal

I’ve always been told good nutrition is more efficient than exercise when trying to lose weight.  If you're like me, they go hand and hand. I can workout daily, incorporating both cardio and strength training.  I'll see results, but it’s a slow process if I'm not eating the right way.  In the past, I've worked with nutritionists who've helped me build meals so I know first hand that once I stick to this way of life, the results are instant.  However, it's not always the easiest or cheapest thing to improve.

I try very hard to eat five to six smaller meals a day at about 300 calories per meal.  It makes me feel fuller throughout the day and less likely to binge.   Planning ahead is the best way to achieve this, whether it be spending Sunday afternoon preparing meals for the week or doing it every night before going to bed.  Also, I find most helpful is keeping a daily food log.  It helps keep the calorie count in check.  It's also a visual, which may make me less inclined to put that extra Oreo in my mouth or to order a side of fries.   

A friend of mine told me about an online food journal a few months ago.  Best part is it’s free. It’s called MyFitnessPal.com. When you create an online profile, it asks you the usual questions: How much do you weigh? How tall are you?  What’s your activity level? You know…The usual fitness questionnaire.  It helps determine your daily caloric intake based on that information. It also breaks down the amount of proteins, fats and carbs you should be ingesting per day.  Once this is established, you're directed to your profile page. MyFitnessPal allows you to customize your profile.  It also allows you to add friends so you can have a support system along the way.  It’s  Facebook  for weight loss! There’s also an app for that so it’s easily accessible on your smart phone. No more notebooks!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com

Cheaply Fit, you ask?

My name is Alisa.  It's not Alyssa or Alicia.  Just Lisa with an A, but to my friends I'm Lucky, A-Mo and A.  I grew up in a small town in PA, and went to college in Philly.  Three years after graduating, I made the big move out west.  I've been living in L.A. for over a year now.  My weight has always been my biggest obstacle.  Since graduating high school in 2002, I've lost 40 pounds.  20 of which came off in the last year I've lived here.  I'm not ready to stop there.  Just 20 more to go.  Come on people I live in L.A!

Anyway, after making the move to La La Land, landing a job as a personal assistant to an actress making a decent living, quitting that job to pursue my hollywood fame and fortune, I now find myself working 40+ hours a week sitting at a desk.  Did I mention the pay cut?   This is the hollywood dream huh?  The crazy production schedule and countless hours of logging is driving me crazy.  The only thing that keeps me sane are my workouts.  Yet, it's the one thing that has been tossed to the way side. 

This gig is definitely leaving me feeling unmotivated, and mentally and physically burnt out.  So you can imagine how my goal to lose those last 20 has been put on the back burner.   I'm not participating in those classes that were once so near and dear to my heart.  I'm no longer getting my ass kicked by my beloved trainer, Joel these days either.  So this past week I decided to step on the scale to see the damage of this new lifestyle.  Just as I suspected! Five pounds! It's five pounds too many! Enough is enough!

Yes!  I need the job to pay the bills like everyone else while I climb the ranks in this town.  However, once all my living expenses are paid, there's just not enough to support the lifestyle I once loved to live.  I got to thinking there's got to be a way to get back into a workout groove doing the workouts I enjoy which challenge me and keep me interested.  There's so many amazing workouts in L.A. Why should my budget keep me from enjoying them? True, I'm no celebrity in fact I'm a hollywood nobody for now, but really? Why?  So what I'm starting to discover is that so many of these fitness crazes either offer free or reduced first classes and new student deals!  It made me wonder, could I get back in shape by taking advantage of these new student specials? 

Welcome to Cheaply Fit! It is now my mission in life to explore this further and kick my ass back in shape by getting the best bang for my buck. All the while not allowing the set back of money prohibit me from participating in the awesome and unique workouts this city has to offer.  Who says you can't take classes like a Kardashian on a beer budget? So join me on this adventure....