Month: January 2018

I love a good workout and trying new things, but I have actively avoided Orange Theory classes for years. I heard horror stories of coaches yelling and the competitive nature of the classes, both of which are things that do NOT jive with who I am. I know two things about myself with great certainty:

1. I hate being told what to do when it comes to physical activity–especially when orders are given in a forceful manner. (I once walked our “mile run” in protest during elementary school…)
2. I do not thrive off of competition with others. I am incredibly competitive with myself; I am passionate about getting better and better grades or meeting new goals, but not when I compare myself to those around me. It’s not about being the “best” in my mind, it is about being my personal best.

I only went to this class because a fellow SF SweatPink friend posted about it, so I saw it as an opportunity to meet other fitness-centered bloggers in the community.

The class started with a loud, high intensity atmosphere–I was already feeling regret. Everyone wears a heart rate monitor, and your heart rate & calorie burn is projected on a large screen throughout the class. The workout was interval-based and divided in half. Half of the time was spent doing circuits utilizing a rowing machine, free weights, and a bosu ball. I enjoyed this half and could feel my heart rate getting higher than it has in quite a while. I enjoy using a rowing machine and it certainly stayed interesting as we incorporated different moves with the weights with low to moderate reps. I think that the instruction was not always sufficient for the quick pace; the instructor could not fix everyone’s form with such a rushed pace, and I’m sure that worsened my form as I felt the pressure to move on to the next exercise.

The next half of the class was not my favorite…anyone who knows me knows that this means a treadmill was involved. I see the treadmill as the epitome of what is wrong with how we approach fitness as a society. A little dramatic maybe, but I truly am not a fan. Few people enjoy the treadmill and it forces us into the idea that running nowhere in a state of misery is what it means to workout. Working out should be an enjoyable way you want to use your body everyday–if that is the treadmill then more power to you, but I think a small percentage of the population enjoys treadmill workouts while so many of us actually do them.

Back to Orange Theory–the next half of the class was treadmill intervals with options for power walking, jogging, or running. I just stared ahead at my sweaty face in the mirror counting down the minutes until it ended. At the end of the class, we looked at the heart rate screen together and I could feel myself becoming self-conscious about how many minutes I was in the “highest intensity” heart rate zone. I also personally have zero interest in the number of calories burned–in my opinion, it’s an unhealthy and inaccurate way to judge a workout. I could definitely feel the soreness settling in after the class ended, but at a cost of $59 for 4 classes, I don’t plan to keep going.

If you are motivated by competition and the group atmosphere, then this might be a great fit for you. You definitely feel accountable and there is a team atmosphere to the class, even with the competition.

After the class ended, we all gathered outside the class and got some tasty snacks and signed up to win a free mattress from Mattress Firm.

I also ended up getting a free pillow–it was one of those cooling gel-based pillows and I am BEYOND excited (who doesn’t love a good pillow?)

At the Mattress Firm store, I also got the chance to meet Shannon, the girl behind Cali Girl Gets Fit. She is such an inspiration and hooked me up with some delicious Bounce snacks and Organic Girl pressed juice.

I had such a fun day–meeting new people and trying a new, different class. While I may not go back to another Orange Theory class, I certainly enjoyed trying it out and pushing myself in new ways.

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Are you adventurous in your workouts? How do you feel about treadmill workouts?

I’ve been reading Brene Brown’s book Braving the Wilderness and the message resonates deeply with me. I’ve recently moved to a new place and have been establishing a new rhythm–friends, jobs, activities. I have always felt like I don’t fit the mold of having a set group of friends; I usually never fit a set group, but rather seek out individuals from different groups. I love the breadth of interests, experiences, personal backgrounds, and opinions this generates among those I talk and spend time with.

This minimizes gossip, leaving others out, and everything else that comes with a friend group, it also makes it harder to hold big group gatherings and feel that sense of belonging we all crave. I had this in high school. My group of girlfriends; we would sit together at lunch, have sleepovers, get ready for dances together…I cherish those memories. The memories I don’t cherish include the snide remarks or petty fights that inevitably come with an intertwined group of five people, let alone five tween girls.

Brown speaks to the mixed emotions of these friendships beautifully and encourages us all to create our own personal sense of belonging. We fit in with ourselves and love ourselves just as we are. No matter what happens–a move, a falling out, a hardship–we have our sense of grounding in numerous places with numerous perspectives.

Beyond friendships, the Maya Angelou quote:

captures a feeling I’ve been unable to pinpoint since leaving Home in Nashville for college (in Atlanta, GA). I spent summers in a range of places–Alpharetta, GA, Detroit, and the UK–and felt that certainty of where I belong and fit wane. Since moving to the Bay Area six months ago, that certainty of where I belong has grown even fuzzier. So perhaps the answer lies in Angelou’s words: I “belong no place–[I] belong every place–no place at all.”

I’m not one for New Years resolutions, but if anything I want to become even stronger in braving the wilderness.