What We’re Eating & Where We’re Working Out

I know I’ve griped on and off for years about not being excited about my gym anymore. We’ve event dappled in a few workouts around the city here and there, threatening to quit: Orange Theory, Soul Cycle, and a few stints at Vida. But so far nothing has drawn me away from the convenience of being able to look out my front window and see my gym. But I think we’re quickly approaching that moment guys.

At the beginning of this year, something finally shifted. The schedule at my gym changed again moving my longtime spin class earlier yet to 5:30 am. I found myself making it to fewer and fewer classes, especially the morning classes that are really my bread and butter. Around the same time, my friend Laura – back home for two months from Brazil – alerted me that Class Pass was offering a free month. I love me a good fitness date, so I signed up and joined her at SolidCore. The very next week, Epic Interval Training opened up, offering a free week of classes for just $1 during their soft opening and of course Courtney and I jumped on the opportunity.

So that’s how I found myself last week going to three Epic Interval classes, two SolidCore classes, and just ONE class at my own gym (Nellie, I’m looking at you girl!) – which is ironically the one I’m paying for! And honestly, I’m *really* enjoying the variety.

Here’s what we’re up to:

SolidCore: I love how intense a workout I get while remaining incredibly low impact. I’ve never done anything like it. Seriously, you will work your core and glutes to exhaustion and you WILL be shaking. There are literally classes every hour everyday. Cost: $399/month unlimited, $330 for a 10 class package, $39 for a single drop in class. (HOLY BUCKETS!)

Epic Interval Training: The space is like a playground, and they offer a different HIIT circuit workout every day of the week. Focusing on cardio, strength, and endurance, all the moves are super functional and no two work outs are the same. It’s a workout I look forward to – I see this being something you could do regularly and never get bored. And if I go to the 6:45am class, I can get to my office in time to run a couple bonus miles on the treadmill and still shower and be early for work! Classes all day, everyday. Cost: $200/month unlimited (founders rate), $280 for a 10 class package, $35 for a single drop in class.

Pacers Running Group: Peer pressure at it’s finest! I *always* plan to do the shorter run, but that never happens. Last night they pushed me to do 8+ miles at a sub 8 minute/mile pace!

Sport & Health: Planning to do spin w/ Nellie on Saturday at our gym on Saturday! I’ve been too busy in the afternoon to do Eric’s Chisel, but that’s the other one I’ll miss.

FlyWheel: First class free! We’re trying out a Grammy’s themed class on Sunday!

Besides proximity, the thing I love about my gym is unlimited classes for a reasonable cost (I think we pay like $75 a month, but I’ve been a member there for almost 10 years!). We work out so much that anything but unlimited really doesn’t cut it. But what value are unlimited classes if they aren’t classes I want to go to or at times I want to go? Over the past two weeks, I’ve discovered that I can sleep an hour longer than if I went to a 5:30 class right across the street and still make it across town to another studio. So as warmer weather approaches, I’m planning to cancel my gym membership and scrape together a solid routine with a combination of Class Pass ($79/month for 45 credits, or about 7-8 classes), free outdoor workouts, long training bike rides, running with my neighborhood running group who push me really damn hard, and free weights at the gym at work.

Here’s what we’re eating this week:

• Breakfast: Oatmeal with Greek yogurt, Quest Cold Brew Protein Shakes
• Lunch: Roasted Mushroom and Green Bean Farro Salad 
• Dinners: Thai Green Curry Salmon, Mushroom Lentil Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Three things I’m exited about this week:

1. Greg Brown at the Hamilton! I’ve loved Greg Brown since I was a little girl, so I was thrilled when out of the blue I thought to google his tour schedule and saw he’d be here in DC in just a few weeks!
2. DC Home Brew Club’s Food Pairing and Beer Competition!  Courtney brewed an extra special bitter English Ale for the beer competition and I’m making Lamb Chickpea Hand Pies and Curried vegetable pies for the food pairing contest! They’ll be paired with a DC Brau Corruption IPA – supposedly IPAs pair well with spice.
3. Chinese New Year Parade! Time to celebrate the year of the pig! Maybe we’ll find some good soup dumplings while we’re there.

Johanna