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My morning started off at the barre!
I took an early morning Pure Barre class and loved every minute. For real!
One of my favorite things about Pure Barre is the fact that I honestly look forward to the workout. It’s challenging but not incredibly intense so I don’t feel like I need to mentally fire myself up before I walk into the studio. My body shakes and I sweat, but it’s not the same as workouts with a bunch of burpees or heavy lifting which definitely require me to psych myself up ahead of time.
I know that with Pure Barre I’m going to feel the burn, but I’ll be rewarded with a wonderful stretch after we’re done with each muscle group in the class. It’s kind of crazy how a fantastic stretch can feel like a reward during a workout, but somehow it does. I love it and we all know I can use all the help I can get when it comes to improving my flexibility.
Breakfast
Breakfast occurred after Pure Barre this morning.
I actually felt satisfied after eating the egg and cheese sandwich and the almonds, so I’m saving the banana for when hunger strikes again.
Just FYI, I’ve been taking the advice of Nancy Clark and eating a little something before my morning workouts. I have always been more of a wake up and work out girl, but I’m finding that eating something, even when I’m not hungry, makes me feel better and more energetic during my workout. Makes total sense to me! My favorite pre-workout snacks lately have been a small apple or banana or a handful of almonds or trail mix. A lil’ something makes a difference!
Questions of the Morning
- What is one workout you look forward to doing?
- For the early morning exercisers: Do you eat something before your workouts?
For me, Jazzercise is one of the most fun workouts on the planet and one I always look forward to doing, especially when I can take a class with my mom and sister. Pure Barre and BodyPump are workouts I look forward to as well. If you cannot think of a workout you enjoy or look forward to doing, I encourage you to try something new. I’m a firm believer that there’s a workout out there for everyone and finding one you love makes exercise 10,000 times more enjoyable!
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I don’t usually eat before morning workouts because I feel like I’d have to get up even earlier to give my food time to digest… but on the days I sleep in and do my workout in the evening, I definitely notice the difference having fuel in my system makes! Do you wait a while to start your workout after having a banana/nuts or find that you’re okay literally eating and running?
Working in a cubicle all day, I honestly look forward to the opportunity to get to the gym during my lunch break. It doesn’t really matter what workout I do, but I just love being able to get moving! Despite the sticky temps today here in MD today an afternoon run around the Baltimore Inner Harbor was absolutely wonderful! Plus as I finished a Dannon Okios truck pulled up to give out free greek yogurt. John Stamos unfortunately wasn’t there to surprise me in the truck…but hey free yogurt is free yogurt! Happy 4th Julie!! 😉
Love the new mobile site! Sooo much easier to read 🙂 thank you!!
Bodypump is no need to psych workout…spin is my favourite “psych totally necessary” workout! Kettlebells is a close second!
I normally don’t eat before my workouts, but I think I am going to start as well. The couple of times that I have eaten half a banana or something small, I have noticed that I have more energy and I love it!
I am a morning workout gal at heart. I have always been a wake up and workout type except when it came to training for my marathon then I always wanted to make sure there was something in my stomach. Right now, I really love Pure Barre and running.
I’m really enjoying my core workouts lately as I can feel the benefits of a stronger core everytime I run.
I love Les Mills step class. I would much rather do weights than cardio, so it’s one of the few cardio workouts I look forward to. I also love a good outside run when the weather is perfect – I am totally a fair weather runner :).
I’ve been LOVING Pure Barre recently too! It’s so challenging and you can totally feel the burn with each muscle. In fact, I know I need to check my form when I’m doing something and can’t feel the burn! I agree with you, finding a workout or workouts that you love not only make sit so much more enjoyable, but increases the chances that you’ll get that workout in!
I don’t eat before morning workouts. I have in the past, but I don’t think I allow myself enough time for things to settle before I dive into things. But when I don’t eat beforehand I am ravenous as soon as I’m done!
Spinning is always my workout of choice! I feel so strong and motivated when I’m on my bike. If I workout in the morning, I’ll have a Lara bar.
During the weekdays I eat my breakfast after I workout, but I switch it up on the weekends when I have more time and enjoy sipping my coffee before hitting the gym. I look forward to doing any type of strength training workout that involved pull-ups, but your posts on PureBarre have me eager to go to a studio again!
One workout I always look forward to doing is swimming. Whenever I get in the pool, I always am so excited! Before I do morning runs, and workouts similar to that, I like to eat a water and a greek yogurt.
I always look forward to my Friday morning workout. It’s a combination of intervals and an intense circuit that changes every week. It’s challenging but so satisfying when I finish.
I’m definitely a morning workout person, and I absolutely must eat before I exercise otherwise I crash and burn halfway through. I either have some yoghurt or a chocolate protein muffin I make, the muffin is so tasty it’s enough of a motivation to get up and workout :p
I always look forward to Bodypump!
And I always eat a little something before my morning workouts. Makes sense to me too, bodies need energy to function/perform, so a little snack (usually half of a banana for me) does the trick.
Julie,
I have been a long time PBF reader and I’m so happy you’re doing Pure Barre! I’ve been doing it since November 2012 and I’m still completely addicted. I look forward to every workout and I’ve seen such an improvement in my strength, flexibility, and mood post-class. I’m always surprised by how much stronger I’ve become. I’ve seen huge changes in my body physically as well. Enjoy your PB classes! 🙂
Kaitlin
I ALWAYS look forward to leg days, and sprints. I cannot work out within 3-4 hours of eating so if it’s before 8 a.m., usually not, but much later than that and I def need to eat something then give my body a bit to digest.
Body Combat is a class I always look forward to! I haven’t been to one in a while because I was focused on long distance running in the last few months, but I’m just getting back into them again and it’s reminded me of just how much I always enjoy the class! Pure Barre sounds so awesome – we’re only starting to get one or two classes here in Perth and I’m hoping they’d get more popular so I can find a class close by!
I’m excited, they’re opening a Pure Barre location 20 minutes from my house. Even though I belong to a gym, it’s always fun to try new workouts.
I love cycling. But it’s not a particular work out I enjoy, the the fact that I enjoy working out. I have kids and like to have them spend time with other people/kids.
I looked into Pure Barre in the area I’m in and there are NONE!! Only up near Seattle… May have to do something about that? Love your blog.
I love squat days. It’s by far my favorite. I also love my HIIT training days because it will be short and hella hard but DONE. My go to preworkout is simply iced coffee with cream. NOM NOM and yay caffeine!
I seriously look forward to Les Mills BodyCombat class every day it is offered. I’d take it 7 days a week if I could!! Without question my favorite cardio class EVER. I always leave drenched in sweat with my legs feeling like jello but I still feel like a warrior!
Jazzercise is my favorite workout, and I never would have found it if it weren’t for reading your blog. I remember reading about how your mom has been going for forever and it’s like a “family”, and I wanted something I could do every day for the rest of my life. I used to be a runner, and before that I was into lifting weights, but after having a kid I had postpartum depression come on and needed something with a major endorphin boost. I went to a PiYo Strength class taught by Katy Widrick & she told me Jazzercise had childcare – I was sold. I went & signed up for a membership and have been going back every single day since. Tell your mom thanks for the inspiration 🙂
That’s awesome!!! Jazzercise is amazing!
I am an early AM exerciser (4-5:30AM), and I do eat a little something before working out. Usually it’s a Kashi breakfast bar.
As for exercises I love, I love running (although I would prefer to run outside, I’m usually on the treadmill), spinning, Core classes, and the weights classes at the gym.
I love aerobics classes, but have to psych myself up for strength training. I would love to try Pure Barre, but I don’t live near a studio. I’ve tried some online videos, but just saw that Pure Barre has their own sets. Have you tried them or heard from anyone who has? I would love a review before I invest in a set!
Depending on the amount of time I have before a morning class (and the class I’m taking), I’ll either eat a banana with some kind of nut butter and 1/2 c of coffee or if I am taking a later class I’ll make a 1/2 serving of custard oats (1/4 quick oats, 2 tbsp. oatbran, h20, and 1 egg all stirred together hot). It’s super creamy and i can usually workout about 30 minutes after eating it.
Post workout is always a smoothie packed with protein, veggies, fruit, and some kind of healthy fat.
My favorite classes are Body Pump/Attack/Step and Spinning. I used to take cx worx and GRIT before getting pregnant but now they are on hold until post baby! Would love to try a Barre class, but they are so darn expensive!
Kickboxing/boxing is my favorite workout!
Before my morning workouts I eat unsweetened applesauce and chia seeds and I have noticed a huge difference in my energy levels!