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December 2016

NYC Fitness Classes

Orangetheory Fitness is the most intense (and fun!) workout EVER and here’s why!

by Nellie

This post is presented in partnership with Orangetheory Fitness.

Orangetheory Fitness is the most intense (and fun!) workout EVER and here’s why!

A few days ago I got the opportunity to finally try Orangetheory Fitness in Williamsburg Brooklyn. The workout has been all the rage among my fitness friends, and I’ve always been super curious about how these classes work and what is all the rage?

I gathered two of my favorite NYC Blogger girls so we could make it a fun time. Plus, it is a lot easier to to do hard workouts when you have your friends around!

What is Orangetheory Fitness?

It is a heart-rate monitored, high-intensity workout is scientifically designed to keep heart rates in a target zone that spikes metabolism and increases energy. They call it the afterburn.

I went to the Williamsburg location which is right on the tip of Brooklyn and reasonably close to Queens and just one train stop away from Manhattan. The location was gorgeous. The decor and vibe of the facility was really nice!

Once we got in, we were introduced to Corey our trainer for the day and given specific heart rate monitors that were individually assigned to all of us. Your actual heart rate, calories and heart rate zone was put on a big monitor in the room along with your class members so you can see how hard you are working at all times.

Before the class we got introduced to all of the equipment including the specially designed treadmills and rowing machines (with actual water in them!). Right after our quick intro, we were ready for class. The rest of the class members joined us and we were ready to work! I had no idea what I was getting into, but I would find out really quickly!

The Orange Theory Fitness Brooklyn Workout

The first thing we did was jump on the treadmill for a few sprint intervals. We had a base speed–what your regular running pace is–and a turn up speed of 1.0 – 2.0 mph faster than the base. We varied between then two and pushed the incline higher than I’ve ever pushed before. Most of the time we were running on 4-6% incline! I never thought I could actually do that but there I was, doing it!

After the treadmill there was no time time to catch our breath as we went straight into deadlifts, TRX training and abs–once we completed two full sets we pushed right into getting on the row machine for 200 quick meters, then back to strength training and BACK on the treadmill again! It was crazy!!

Overall Thoughts

As crazy intense as it all was, I had a really good time. I never would have run max speed on a six percent incline–like that is something I’d NEVER make myself do! Our trainer Corey had the BEST music! He played everything from rock to some amazing throwback Notorious B.I.G. which helped me through the entire second treadmill interval. The facility is huge so all 12-13 of us were able to get our own individual machines. The towels were complimentary and it was really awesome to see how much work was done on the big board of results.

The Orangetheory Fitness Brooklyn location even has a cute promo going $99 for four classes and it comes with a really cute hoodie!

Thank you to the Orangetheory Fitness Brooklyn team for such a fun and intense workout! I can’t wait to go back!

Why the @OTheoryFitness Class in #Williamsburg #Brooklyn is the BEST Fitness class in NYC! #OrangeTheory #Fitness #ad Click to Tweet

Have you tried an Orangetheory fitness class? When is the last time you took interval training?

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fitness gear

A Fun Workout with Celebrity Trainer Gunnar Peterson & LG Tone!

by Nellie

If you are looking for a last minute gift for a fitness focused person in your life (or YOU!) I’ve got the perfect item for you. But first, I wanted to share with you about the fun event that I attended with LG last week!

Even though I am knee deep in training with the Jamie Eason program, I was super excited when LG invited me to a fun event in Manhattan to check out their new headphones, the LG Tone.

The LG Tone is not your set of typical bluetooth headphones. First, they are gorgeous–super sleek and fashion forward. When I arrived there was a fun display or a wall of hands that the headphones were hanging on, I know this all sounds SUPER weird but somehow the display worked!

When I arrived I got a quick demo of the LG Tone bluetooth headphones.First, they are water resistant–which is huge because I have been known to run more than a few races in the rain! Second, they have created a technology that you can play your headphones around your neck and you can hear it all without being obnoxious to your neighbor.

Fuel your fitness with the LG TONE Active+™ and amp up your exercise with peak sound performance optimized for athletes. Advanced Quad-Layer Speaker Technology™ and dual MEMS microphones take audio excellence to the next level, and the addition of EXTERNAL STEREO SPEAKERS gives you a personal surround-sound experience.

We actually tried it out in a group setting. I was able to hear the music through the headphones but everyone around me didn’t! This new technology is crazy!! It’s actually nice for when you want to not zone all the way out and be super aware of your surroundings.

The New @LGUS #LGToneActivePlus is the latest in bluetooth headphone technology! #LGTone Click to Tweet

The Workout With Gunnar Peterson

Gunnar Peterson is most known for training the Kardashians, and a host of other celebs, but THIS night he was training us! We did a really awesome quick workout that could be done in any living room anywhere. Including biceps curls, push ups on the bench, running in place and more. Check out the video below for some workout ideas from Gunnar!

https://youtu.be/DRegZ3JbouM

It was a quick but super effective workout and afterwards we were able to chat with Gunnar, who was SUPER chill by the way. I can totally see how he is a popular trainer, he is so calm and knowledgable but doesn’t ever let you slack off either!

For more information on the LG Tone Active Plus Bluetooth Headphones, check out this link!

What is your favorite at home workout?

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Friday Fitness Check-in

Jamie Eason LiveFit Month One Recap – Falling In Love with Weight Training

by Nellie

Hey Y’all!

Happy Friday!

How was your week? My week was normal busy, which was good because I was actually expecting the holidays to send things into overdrive. I am SO used to getting really stressed this time of year but this is actually the first year where I am not working/commuting 10 hours a day so it is making things a LOT easier, and making the season WAY more enjoyable.

Speaking of celebrating the holidays…

On Tuesday I stepped a bit out of my comfort zone and went to the Annual NYC Blogger dinner. This was not a normal thing for me because although I LOVE my blogger peeps, I have my moments where I want to throw the covers over my head and go to sleep. I am the classic introverted extrovert.

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We went to La Mela in Little Italy. Don’t tell anyone but this was my FIRST real experience at a restaurant in Little Italy! It was FANTASTIC! I don’t even like Italian food like that and I ate my weight in just about everything. I had seconds of the Eggplant Parm and have been inspired to make it on my own. If you have a good recipe, let me know!

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I need to make sure that I find my way back down to Little Italy more often especially during the warmer months, it was only a 45 minute train ride home and that is QUICK from the city to where I live in Brooklyn!

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It’s Fitness Friday

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This week was the fourth and final week of Phase 1 of the Jamie Eason LiveFit Program! These first four weeks were really to get your body ready and conditioned to be in a full time strength training program. This week was the same as last week, I’ll spare you the deets, if you want learn more about the exact exercises I did, check out last week.

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  • Monday: Legs + 22 Minutes on the Stair climber
  • Tuesday: Back and Biceps + 12 Minutes on the arc trainer
  • Wednesday: Chest and Triceps + 5 Minutes on the row machine
  • Thursday: Legs + 2.30 Mile run on the treadmill
  • Friday: Shoulders and Abs + Cardio (?? Whatever I feel like doing :))

Thoughts on the first month

I love this program. More that I can even type into words. I love lifting weights so much I even briefly considered maybe NOT running races in 2017, then I remembered what running does for me and I got my wits about me again. 🙂

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The fact is that even though I didn’t take any measurements in the beginning of the program (oops!) I can see a total difference in my body composition. I’m feeling like the old days, prior to running! I have to be honest with myself that my body simply doesn’t respond to running the way I would like it to. In four short weeks however, my body has snapped back in a surprising way. So much so that I’m likely going to do a different 3 month strength training intensive once this one is over.

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Dinner in #LittleItaly, #strengthtraining LOVE & a recap of phase 1 of #JamieEasonLiveFit Click to Tweet

The second month of the program is critical. It’s where things got too hard  time wise and exactly when I dropped out last time so it’s super important that I stick with it for the next four weeks even THROUGH the crazy holidays. This phase incorporates cardio as a requirement for some of the days and now includes supersets. I’m SO excited! It will be tough, but fun.

How was your fitness and health week? Have you been to any holiday parties yet? Which fitness activity makes your SOUL happy?

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BAM Travelstechnology

Miracle On South 13th Street: A Philadelphia Christmas Treasure

by Nellie

Miracle On South 13th Street: A Philadelphia Christmas with Samsung SmartThings

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Is there anything better than a block full of houses will beautifully decorated Christmas lights?

Last week I was invited by Samsung to visit my second favorite city of Philadelphia to visit the Miracle On South 13th Street. Have you ever heard about this world famous block that is decorated to the nines with the BEST Christmas lights–ALL 48 homes are lit and the scene is absolutely spectacular. This year Samsung equipped all of the homes with their Smart Things Hub which allows the homeowners to turn lights and other appliances on and off from their cell phones!

The Ride

We met at the Sumsung spot in the West Village. Our ride was SO fancy! It was a real party bus equipped with TV’s, refrigerators, snacks and so much more!

Christmas Village In Philadelphia

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Before we made out way down to South 13th Street we took a quick tour through the Christmas Village which was full of gorgeous little shops and eateries just for the Holiday Season. It was right in Center City and it was a miracle that I didn’t spend my mortgage money. Everything was so cute!

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Miracle On South 13th Street

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After grabbing a quick bite, we finally headed down to the Miracle On South 13th Street. From the moment I laid eyes on the block I realized immediately how special the block was. We had the pleasure of meeting with some of the homeowners, and they were able to express to us how easy life was for them now that they have had their Samsung SmartThings installed.

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The Samsung SmartThings ecosystem enables consumers to simply automate their daily routines. From multipurpose sensors that help manage home heating when temperatures drop, to smart outlets turning conventional electronics into connected devices, the Hub becomes the brain connecting products to control home more conveniently from any Android or iOS mobile device.

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We were able to watch them turn on and off lights in different parts of the house right from their phone! They shared how they were able to do simple things like turn on the lights downstairs before they get there, or adjust the temperature of their homes before they get home or even start a pot of coffee!

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We toured the block and every house was just SO gorgeous. We had a blast checking out the different features on each house including an ode to Stranger Things, Minions and of course, Disney.

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For more than a dozen years, the residents of Miracle on South 13th Street have outfitted their homes in spirited holiday décor that attracts tourists nationwide. This year, the homes will go even further with Samsung SmartThings – making holiday lights and décor easier to manage and more energy efficient. Samsung SmartThings devices conveniently add intelligence to daily routines, connecting hundreds of compatible smartproducts and controlling them right from a smart phone. With no monthly fees or subscription, consumers have the flexibility to grow their connected ecosystem as their needs evolve.

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The Miracle On South 13th Street gets thousands of visitors every year and for good reason! The Christmas Display is breath taking and the homeowners are simply awesome.

A Miracle On South 13th Street in #Philadelphia with Samsung @SmartThings! #Christmas #tech Click to Tweet

For more information on Samsung’s SmartThings EcoSystem check out the website here.

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Friday Fitness Check-in

Jamie Eason Week 3 Recap: Shifting From All Cardio to All Lifting

by Nellie

How are you guys on this amazing Friday?

It was a weird week for me. I was able to do really well with business and blog stuff, but the life stuff kicked me in the rear end. My eldest child has been having some trouble in school to put it lightly and I am researching and figuring out the best way to handle all of it. Why doesn’t parenting come with specialized handbooks?! I could use one right about now.

It’s Fitness Friday!

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So I have been slowly adjusting to Life As A Lifting Diva (doesn’t that sound like such a great book title?!). It’s a pretty dramatic change to go from running 30-40 miles a week to walking around lifting things up and putting them back down! This week was Week 3 of the Jamie Eason program and this is the time where things ratchet up a whole lot. You go from 5-6 strength training exercises per day to 7-8 more advanced moves per day.

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Monday: Legs – One of the major changes in the program is that you start having leg days twice a week. Another significant shift is that you go from simpler moves like leg curls to walking across the gym doing walking lunges with a barbell on your shoulders. 🙂 It was tough, but I got through it, with

Cardio: 15 minutes extra on the stair climber

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Tuesday: Back & Biceps – This day wasn’t terrible but again it was a progression of movements. This included a lot of moves that my poor back was not used to! I felt the burn almost immediately and I couldn’t wait to get through the back portion.

Cardio: 17 Minutes on Arc Trainer

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Wednesday: Chest & Triceps – This was not the easiest. I had my son at home so I found myself venturing out to the gym at 5:50am so I could workout before my hubby left. I could have gone at night but I know the chances of me going to the gym after 7 was little to none. This workout had me doing some body weight activities like pushups and tricep dips (which were hella tough!).

Cardio: One Mile on the Treadmill

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Thursday: Legs – For the second time this week I was on leg day — I had a really good session (I even videoed it as you can see below!) I didn’t do any cardio today because I simply wasn’t feeling it.

Friday – Shoulders and Abs: I am actually NOT looking forward to this workout today! I have realized that my shoulders are my weakest part of my body by FAR. It is an absolute struggle to get through this day–my poor shoulders always feel like they are on fire!

How was your fitness and health week? What is your weakest part of your body?

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