Fit Blog Gear Review: Saucony Kinvaras, Reebok SubLites and Yoga LBT

Today, I'm sharing a few of my favorite fitness finds from FitBlog 2013! At this point I've been able to wear them enough to truly judge their quality, and I am super happy with these items.

Remember this? Yes, FITNESS Magazine was incredibly generous with giving us an assortment of things to try out. The shoes and top we were given were stand-outs to me and have been added into my regular rotation of workout gear.

Saucony Kinvara 4 running shoes

I am loving these Saucony Kinvara 4's for short runs! They're so easy breezy and the neon yellow is super fun. I need a supportive shoe for longer runs, and need to roll out my foot after running in these for a few days in a row, but these fantastically light shoes are great for short distances.

I normally hate traveling in closed-toed shoes but I wore these on my trip to Cuba for both travel days and a walking-around-town day and felt great. They're just so light, without sacrificing comfort.

Some stats from Saucony:

Offset: 4mmHeel: 22mmForefoot: 18mmWeight: 6.7 oz (women), 7.7 oz (men)The redesigned upper continues to utilize FlexFilm for a lightweight, seamless feel. Kinvara loyalists will love the upgrade from ProGrid to PowerGrid in the heel landing zone for even smoother transitions and an improved overall ride.

I'm thinking these will be my speed and short run shoe, my Mizuno Wave Inspires will be my short-mid distance shoe (4-6 miles), and my Brooks Adrenalines will continue to be my "long" run shoe. Anything at 6 miles or more and I seem to need extra support to avoid foot pain. I know some runners run marathons in these, though, so it's all about what works for your feet.

Reebok Yoga Long Bra Top

I wasn't sure about this Reebok Yoga Long Bra Top tank when I received it. For some reason, it just seemed really shapeless on the hanger. Then I tried it on when my laundry pile was huge and I needed something for a Refine Method class, and lo and behold, it was adorable! I love the cut and how it hangs. It's body-conscious yet roomy in the middle for those days when you don't want something super tight (and after two weeks of vacation and graduation festivities, I didn't really want anything too tight!).

My favorite part is the back detail, though. I love that little triangle cutout!  I assume it would cause weird tan lines if you were working out in the sun, but for indoors workouts, it just looks awesome. This top comes in mint green, which is my current favorite color, so I might need to pick up another one!

The bra top is not that supportive, but as a solid B cup I find it to be fine for a workout like Refine Method, which has some jogging in place and jumping jacks. Wouldn't recommend it for an active workout for someone who needs or likes more support, and I won't be wearing it running, but it'd be fine for yoga even for larger-chested ladies.

(By the way, we also got a Sparkly Soul headband in our FitBlog bag. I've mentioned them before so am not going to review the headband here. But as you can see from my picture of the Reebok top, they are my go-to workout headband, and I love them. Thanks for the sponsorship, Sparkly Soul! I <3 you!)

Reebok SubLite Train 1.0 cross-training shoes

Finally, this is probably my favorite item -- the Reebok SubLite Train 1.0! I love these for cross training. I have terrible balance, in part because my right knee turns inward slightly, which isn't great for any kind of balance-oriented exercise. It's hard for me to get the full benefit of a lot of exercises when I'm standing on my right leg. I've had way fewer issues, however, since I started using these since they provide much greater stability!

From Reebok:

• Medial support harness keeps your foot centered for stability

• 3D SubLite foam midsole for lightweight cushioning that is responsive and durable

• Raised dual density heel counter for the added stability you need for lateral workout movements

My trainer, Amanda, actually pointed them out and said she loved them when I wore them to a training session. Obviously the mint green laces and accents are also awesome! These are fine for some brief cardio moves, like jogging in place at Refine Method, but ideally shouldn't be worn for running. These should last me a while, but I've been pleased enough with them that whenever they wear out, I plan on getting another pair.


Do you have separate cross-training shoes? What shoes are you running in right now? Do you use different short and long run shoes?

Sugar Detox Recap and Zola Coconut Water Review

Last week, I took part in Laura @ Mommy Run Fast's sugar detox. The challenge called for no added sugar for one week, meaning sugar could not be an ingredient; there could be sugar in something, it just had to be naturally occurring.

I wasn't perfect. A few times I ate out and had some soy sauce-based sauces that I'm guessing had added sugar. But I didn't eat any baked goods, candy, etc. from Monday to Sunday and I only moved on from the detox on Sunday by having a splash of maple syrup on my oatmeal and a square of dark chocolate.

What I realized from the detox is that I don't need sweets. So often when we're hit with a craving, it feels like we absolutely need something sugary. But since cookies and sweets weren't an option at all, I had to just take a deep breath and move on.

What I realized was that my cravings would subside. I didn't spend all afternoon thinking about cookies and baked goods if I didn't grab a sweet when I was in a coffee shop. In fact, the craving would be gone fairly quickly. It was all mental based on seeing or reading about sweets rather than being an actual message from my body.

The one time my sugar craving didn't disappear. I made a batch of my peanut butter balls sweetened with dates and shredded coconut, and that hit the spot perfectly. It's something I'm going to make again for future sweets cravings!


Zola Coconut Water Review

A couple of weeks ago, I was sent a sample of Zola coconut waters and acai juice (and some sweet shades). I drank one of them during the week leading up to the Nike DC Half Marathon and I loved it. I often don't like coconut water because it tastes a bit stale, but this tasted incredibly fresh. Both coconut waters also have no added ingredients -- it's pure coconut water.

I  polished off the second bottle this past week during the sugar detox. Since I couldn't drink nuun because it has added fake sugar, I used coconut water for electrolyte replenishment after particularly sweaty workouts. Both the regular and "with pulp" versions tasted great! I'll be getting these at the store if I see them.

I also loved the acai juice, which I'd actually never tried before. This one does have some added sugar in the form of organic evaporated cane juice, but no more than your average juice bottle, and it has otherwise stellar nutritional stats. I don't buy juice very often, but if I were looking for an antioxidant boost, I would definitely purchase this.


Do you drink coconut water? What's your favorite brand? Have you tried a sugar detox before? What were your results?


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I received a free sample of these juices and coconut waters. As always, opinions about the products are my own.

Class Review: Body Ride with Jason at Revolve

Last week I reviewed Dyan's Rip Ride at Revolve, the newest boutique spin studio in NYC. I enjoyed the class overall, although there were a couple of things that I didn't love (no resistance numbers and a techno-heavy playlist). 

This past Saturday, I headed downtown with Abby to try out a different class at Revolve. We were both really looking forward to checking out Jason's class, which we'd heard great things about. 

Jason Tran
(source)

Turns out the great things were all true! Jason's Body Ride class was a lot of fun and I'm hoping to take his class again. He had great energy, got off the bike to engage with the class a lot, and had the kind of playlist I love -- lots of pop and bouncy beats that I can really get into. Obviously that's personal preference, but for me, Jason's playlist was perfect. 

I also loved how he treated the class almost as if he were conducting it. He'd raise his arms as we went into a heavier resistance interval or started sprinting. I felt really engaged the whole time, which is no small feat in a large class!

The hallway where you wait for class - the locker room is down the stairs.
It can definitely get crowded, which is a minus, but I'm ok with that knowing NYC real estate is pricey.

Now, what exactly is the Body Ride? From Revolve's website:

Cardio...Strength...Flexibility...Everything you need in one complete class. This all-encompassing workout allows you to maximize the time you have to work-out in one place. Start out strong. The ride is cardio-intense and gets the heart rate up and keeps it there. Stay moving while you strengthen and tone the upper body on the bike. Polish it all off with a cool down stretch both on and off the bike. You get it all. You get the complete body!

Basically, the 45-minute class entails roughly 35 minutes of spin, 7-8 minutes of upper body weights, and 2-3 minutes of stretching. That means you really need to push it in the spin portion since it's 35 minutes instead of 45 minutes of cycling (if you go to Flywheel, they do a similar 1-2 song break in the middle or at the end consisting of weights work as well). 

I was still dripping sweat, though, so I felt like I got a good workout.

The classroom, being cleaned up post-sweaty ride

Again, there's still the no-number-for-resistance problem. When I'm told to turn the resistance up or down "a touch," I just have a hard time knowing what that means. A quarter of a turn? A half a turn? But, since I use spin to supplement my running workouts, that's fine with me. It prevents me from being competitive and gunning for a resistance level that I shouldn't try to hit when I have a long run the next day.

LOVE that Revolve encourages sustainability by having a nice water bottle fill station right outside the classroom!

I've now been to Revolve twice and definitely recommend the studio. It's great to have another option besides Soul Cycle and Flywheel! I feel like it's sort of a combination of the two. And for runners, it's definitely a great running supplement!


The Facts
Length - 45 minutes
Cost - $28 (an extra $2 for shoes - currently they have a $99 unlimited intro month special!)
Location - Union Square (52 E 13th St between Broadway and University Place). They also have a location in Washington, DC.
Skill Level - Anyone! The staff is great at helping you set up a bike.

Class Review: Rip Ride with Dyan at Revolve

On Sunday, courtesy of Melissa and Dori, I got to try out a spin class at Revolve, free of charge! The class was a lot of fun and I'm glad I was able to check out the new boutique spin studio.

Revolve has three classes: Rip Ride, Real Ride, and Body Ride. Real Ride is exclusively spinning, Body Ride incorporates upper body work and stretching, and Rip Ride is a total body strength and spinning workout. From Revolve's website:

RIP Ride (NYC only) is Revolve's hardcore training class -- a class dedicated to fitness fanatics and those looking to push themselves to the max. For 60 or 75 minutes, riders will get it all in this challenging athletic training class that alternates cycling intervals using real resistance with upper body sculpting exercises. A class dedicated to anyone looking to push themselves to a ripped level. Resistance. Interval. Performance.

I didn't 100% love the class, but I really liked it and I'm still going back to Revolve to try out more classes.

Dyan
(source)

I really liked Dyan's teaching style. She got off the bike several times to motivate the room and her general personality was upbeat without appearing to be chemically-driven (sometimes you have to wonder, honestly). She just seemed like she genuinely enjoyed being there and teaching the class. I love that kind of energy from an instructor.

The biggest complaint I had was the playlist. I just don't like techno that much, particularly not in spin class when music is the main driver of the activity. I like to be able to sing along and really get into the song because I know it.

Yes, that means I automatically like any spin class that plays mainly music I like and know. I'm basically a dog with a cone on my head who can only see my kind of music (does that metaphor work? Eh, I'm going with it).

I also didn't like that I didn't have a clear resistance level that I was aiming for, like in Flywheel. Instead, Dyan would tell us "a bit" or "a lot" to the right (to increase resistance) or the left (to decrease resistance). I really like knowing the exact numbers to shoot for, but I know that's more of a personal preference and can vary by person.

However, there is RPM on the bike, so when you're given a range of RPM to shoot for, you still have a goal. It's just the resistance that's up to you. And, since I knew I was long running the next day, in a way it was nice to have control over that and not feel like I was slacking, which I do feel if I'm not hitting the exact RPMs at Flywheel. That's not the instructor's fault there, it's just my own personal competitiveness.

I LOVED the Rip Ride concept. The 60 minutes meant that you could get a lot more upper body work into the class, and I could definitely feel my arms burning despite the bags we held only being 3 pounds. Dyan gave plenty of posture tips, so I never felt like I was in danger of harming myself. And because of the extra intervals between riding, the class sped by quickly.


I'll have a more detailed review about the studio itself after I try a different class this weekend. For now, I'll say that it's a big cramped, but that the friendly staff more than make up for that!


The Facts
Length - 60 minutes
Cost - $28 (an extra $2 for shoes - currently they have a $99 unlimited intro month special!)
Location - Union Square (52 E 13th St between Broadway and University Place). They also have a location in Washington, DC.
Skill Level - Anyone! The staff is great at helping you set up a bike.

Bits and Pieces: New Hair, NYC Half Presents & Core Foods Review

Lots of random things to share today!

I'm Blonde(r)!
Yesterday I decided I was sick of having dishwater brown/blonde hair, since I haven't colored my hair in two years, so I headed to a nearby salon for highlights. I'm typically very careful with who I let touch my hair because it's a lot thicker than it looks and I've had some disastrous haircuts and colors.

But I threw caution to the wind yesterday (seriously, it was really windy) and made an appointment at a salon near me, Blondi's, that had a 20% student discount. Highlights were $80 with the discount and a glaze to better blend things in was $35, for a grand total of $115. If you know NYC prices, you know that's a pretty good deal! A blowout wasn't included, but I just blow dried my hair myself before leaving. I think my stylist, Randy, did a great job and I'm pretty happy with it!

I then wore a pink headband, pink top, purple sports bra, and blue shoes to my workout that afternoon. Yep, full-on Barbie in honor of the blonde hair.

I mainly wanted to color my hair because I have so many photo-filled events coming up. In addition to races, I have Barristers Ball (AKA "law school prom"), graduation, and traveling with my parents for four days after graduation.

Core Foods Review
I received a sample of Core Foods in the mail through my role as a Sweat Pink Ambassador. I was excited because a healthy meal to-go means more time to sleep in the morning! These are definitely a meal since they range from 350-400 calories (the package says one of these plus a glass of water is the equivalent of a bowl of oatmeal).

However, I was dismayed by the taste. While they tasted ok at first, the aftertaste was really unpleasant. I sent one with Sourabh for him to try and he didn't want to finish it. I will admit, we're both a bit picky, and I have gotten over unpleasant tastes in the past for performance foods before a run. But since this is supposed to be more like a meal, I was disappointed.

The ingredients are great, however. Seven ingredients each that are organic and gluten-free for those who need that. There are also amino acids and lots of plant fiber in each one.

I love the idea of these, but I just wasn't sold on the taste. However, if you don't mind that when looking for performance foods, this might be something to check out!


NYC Half Presents

I got a few lovely presents in honor of my PR at the NYC Half that I wanted to share. I got them a while ago, but my phone died last Wednesday and I was phone-less for a week, so I couldn't take pictures of the necklace until now!

Sourabh got me this necklace after I mentioned how much I loved the quote on it. It's a custom engraved necklace from Erica Sara Designs that says "Above all, be the heroine of your own life," a Nora Ephron quote. I absolutely love the necklace and wore it through a tough strength-training workout just fine yesterday. (FYI: I'll be working at the ESD booth on Saturday, April 13, during the MORE/Fitness Half Marathon Expo. If you're in town, drop by and say hi!)

I got this gift before the Half -- a big box of nuun from my parents! It's great to have a stockpile of this stuff. I'll never be lacking in electrolytes ;)

And finally, these gorgeous flowers were a gift from my trainer, Amanda. They lasted a really long time and were absolutely beautiful. They made my apartment look like spring, even if it doesn't feel like spring outside!!

Have you received any special gifts after running a race?

Peak Performance Analysis at Finish Line Therapy

Yesterday started out slightly disastrously: instead of my firm being billed for my Bar Exam review course, I was billed $4,000. Not exactly pocket change. I had to get that charge fixed ASAP and was stuck on the phone, making myself late for a very important date. Thankfully, things turned up once I finally made it downtown.

I had made plans to have coffee with Carrie and meet in person before my appointment at Finish Line Physical Therapy. After apologizing profusely for being late, we sat down and had a great conversation. We both agreed that it can be hard being "young" and training for endurance events since so often people in their early 20s don't really understand the concept of early bedtimes or dawn workouts (actually, I'm not so great about those dawn workouts either...) 

It was such a fun coffee date and I can't wait to meet up with her again soon! And the day only got better from there as I headed to Finish Line.

Ok, the Finish Line mascot isn't the reason the day got better. But he was part of it! His name is Miles. How adorable is that? Any place that has a dog wandering around is instantly a place I'm going to like.

Two weeks ago, I was contacted by Finish Line Physical Therapy about coming in for a Peak Performance Analysis by a physical therapist there. To say I was excited is a slight understatement since I've had some recurring pain in my right arch (and there was also that whole possibly-pulled-muscle during my second half-marathon). I took them up on their offer immediately and found a date that worked.

Here's Finish Line's description of themselves from their website:

Finish Line Physical Therapy is a private, outpatient clinic that utilizes a personal, functional approach to rehabilitation, injury prevention and performance enhancement. Our goal is to evaluate and treat the entire body as a functional whole—a fresh alternative to conventional methods of physical therapy that generally isolate individual joints or body parts.

I started my visit with a run on the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill. Yes, you read that right. Anti-gravity. It essentially lifts you up so that your legs are only supporting a chosen percentage of your bodyweight.

what the set-up looks like
(source)

Do I really have to describe in detail how cool this was? I was zipped into the top and then air filled into the chamber, taking weight off my legs, and then I started running. I spent most of my 2.5 miles running at a 7:30 pace (8 MPH) and 65% of my body weight. I wanted to get in part of my 4.5 planned miles and figured this was the perfect opportunity!

It was so cool to be able to run faster because my legs felt far less weighed down. I'd be a pretty speedy runner if I weighed 50 lbs less! I even tried sprinting up hills and they felt like gentle inclines. Basically, I should move to the moon and become a professional runner.

If you're wondering what on earth this is used for besides astronaut training, it's actually very helpful for those recovering from injury and older runners who want to keep running but at a lower impact. 

Finish Line is a gorgeous facility, by the way. It's a large, wide-open space filled with all kinds of physical therapy and exercise tools, including bikes and treadmills. There are changing rooms, showers, and appointment rooms that look a lot like a doctor's room, but better because they have pictures of runners in them.

After about 20 minutes on the AlterG, I unzipped myself and waited for a few minutes before my Peak Performance Analysis with Alison. This meeting was SO helpful. I was filmed from a variety of angles and Alison then went over what each camera showed about my running form. She was able to figure out a lot of issues I have based on my form. (Tight calves? Yep. Tight hips? Yep.)

my analysis!
(contact details edited out)

Alison also identified my weak glutes and limited hip extension, things I definitely need to focus on in my strength and yoga practices. While I was aware of the symptoms of some of my issues, I really didn't understand why or how they were occurring. Seeing exactly how my foot reaching out too far as I land could affect the rest of my body was extremely helpful (and very cool).

After going through all of her findings, Alison gave me a few ideas on how to stretch for a run and a couple of great ideas for keeping my legs and feet healthy as a part-time office dweller (and full-time computer user), such as bringing a lacrosse ball to work to use for pressure point massage of my feet under my desk.

I had a fantastic experience at Finish Line and was sad to bid it (and Miles) farewell, thinking I couldn't afford to return until I started work since I assumed my student insurance plan wouldn't cover physical therapy. But, thankfully, the friendly woman at the front desk offered to call my insurance to check for me (this is something I would never do because I hate being stuck on the phone unless there is $4,000 on the line -- it is irrational, I admit it).

And great news! My insurance will cover 8 sessions of physical therapy, so it looks like I should be able to do regular appointments as I train for my spring half-marathons and my first marathon this fall. 

I'm really looking forward to making Finish Line Physical Therapy a part of my training and to getting rid of the lingering arch pain once and for all. To me, physical therapy makes sense as a part of a complete training program, alongside strength-training, yoga, and spinning. I just never thought I could afford to make that happen, so I'm ecstatic that I'll be able to. Running pain-free is wonderful and with all the running I have on my schedule this spring, I want as little pain as possible. 

Ok, and I'm also excited to see Miles again...

Have you ever tried physical therapy? Would you want to pretend to be an astronaut train on a treadmill that decreased the body weight on your legs?

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Disclaimer: I received the Peak Performance Analysis complimentary, however I was not compensated for this post. I was not asked to write a post about my experience, but I wanted to based upon my experience there and the fact that I will be returning and making Finish Line part of my training.

Class Review: Fly 45 w/ Holly Rilinger at Flywheel Studios

(source)

Saturday I was browsing the Flywheel Sports website (don't you spend your weekends checking out fitness studio websites? No? Never mind...) and I noticed that new students could try a Flywheel and Flybarre class for free. I had already wanted to check out Flywheel, so being able to do so for free? Yep, I'm there.

I checked out Rate Your Burn for instructor reviews to see who I should try. Holly Rilinger had 13 reviews and 4.9 stars. I'd already heard about her awesomeness by reading various NYC fitness blogs, so I figured I couldn't go wrong with a 12:30 lunch class with her.

the gorgeous boutique and lounge area

First, the new Upper West Side Flywheel studio. It is fabulous. Lots of room and a large boutique. Really pretty, light, and airy -- outside the spin room. The spin studio is like a nightclub. I've decided I like dark spin classes, though, since it lets me rock out to what will hopefully be an epic playlist. If you ever catch me in a spin class, chances are I'll be bopping, sweating, and singing along. No hips action, though, because I try not to start sexy times in an exercise class. That would be awkward.


I also love how close Flywheel's new studio is to me. There is nothing else that close! Sure, I could jog down to one of the studios on 72nd Street, but it's over a mile away and when I already walk 2.5 miles round-trip to and from school every day, sometimes I just don't want to do that. So Flywheel being 10 streets closer? That somehow seems amazing to me. Yes, I know, this entire paragraph is about how lazy I am. I'm very lazy when not working out, this is a true fact.

more waiting area -- pretty wood lockers are behind the wall

But back to Flywheel -- one thing I loved was that shoes, water, and towel were all included in the class. You don't have to pay extra to rent shoes or $1-2 for water. It's only $1, but when you're already paying more than $30 for a class, I really appreciate when studios just give you free water (the fact that Uplift Studios gives you both free water and free snacks makes them near and dear to me). It also made a huge difference to be able to clip in -- I just can concentrate on working harder when I'm not trying to keep my shoes in the pedals.

Ok, so what about Holly and the class?

Wow. I am so happy that I tried this class. Holly was incredible and I loved the entire experience. She was incredibly pumped up the entire time without seeming fake in the slightest bit. When an instructor is as obviously excited about teaching you as Holly was, it's impossible not to draw energy from them. And as the whole class becomes energized, you get this wonderful communal energy going (that's dripping with sweat).

Holly being awesomely excited 
(source)

I'm not normally a fan of the, "why are you here, look inside yourself, pull out your best" dialogue in class (I think my grinch heart is two sizes too small...).  Yet somehow, when it was Holly saying it, I was SO into it. Maybe it was her masterful cuing, her incredibly positive energy, or the way she aligned what she said to the song's lyrics, but I was totally with her the whole ride. She made it easy to follow the beat, which also helped me stay in sync with the flow of the class.

My favorite part of class? Holly shouted, "we focus so much on shrinking the outside, let's focus on expanding the inside," followed by intense pedaling with eyes closed. LOVE.

As far as composition, the class had more sprints than hills, but did a good job of mixing up both. Flywheel's bikes tell you the "torq" (AKA resistance) you're on, which is SO helpful as a newbie. I could make sure I was working at the right level rather than guessing at how much a "half-turn" or "full-turn" was supposed to be (that confuses me, guys). 

Partway through we used weighted bars to get in some core and upper body strength work. The class finished with some light stretching. It was a great way to work out the lactic acid build-up from my runs and strength-training over the weekend -- my legs felt way better than they had before the class!

this is basically what the new UWS studio looks like
(source)

How much did I love this class? I've already signed up for next Monday's 12:30 class as well and I can't wait. A few months ago I said to someone that I wasn't sure spinning classes were worth $32, but if they're with instructors as motivating and fun as Holly, I take that back.

Length - 45 minutes
Cost - $32 (free first class, for now)
Location - Upper West Side (466 Columbus Avenue between 82nd and 83rd Streets). There are also locations on the Upper East Side and in Flatiron, in addition to locations around the country.
Skill Level - Anyone! I'm a relative n00b to spin and had no issues.

Have you tried a Flywheel class? Do you like spinning?

Cheribundi Review & Giveaway + Sandy Fundraiser

I am SO excited to announce my first giveaway and fundraiser! Read on for a review of cheribundi's delicious tart cherry juices and a chance to win a 12-pack -- and to help victims of Hurricane Sandy!

Cheribundi
After my half-marathon, my quads were very sore. Two loops of the Central Park road and its many, many hills left them destroyed. I tweeted at cheribundi, asking where I could find their cherry juice, and they were very helpful, telling me exactly where in my local Whole Foods I could find their products. I snagged one, loved it, and thanked them for their help.

The reason I was looking for tart cherry juice was that, according to health studies, tart cherry juice is "an excellent and natural way to help minimize muscle soreness." (source) For particularly strenuous exercise, it should be taken both before and after the event that is likely to cause soreness.

A few days later, cheribundi reached out and asked if I'd like a case of all their flavors to review. Um, free delicious cherry juice? Yes, please! About a week later, it arrived at my apartment. Unfortunately, I was still stuck in Washington State due to Hurricane Sandy, so I couldn't get my hands on the juice until I got back on November 1.

I immediately started trying out the different kinds of juices. I've mentioned before that I don't like to review things that I don't like. If I am offended by a shop's service or find a workout to be dangerous in some way, I would likely mention it, but I'm not going to dedicate a post to putting down a product, gym, or store simply because I didn't like it.

With that said, I was so happy that I honestly liked all of the juices and could happily write a review of cheribundi's products.

Here's what cheribundi has to say about its products:
Our proprietary juicing process, which was developed with Cornell University, bottles all of the good nutrients of tart cherries rather than boil them away. The phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals in cheribundi will keep you feeling great and living life to the fullest. After our cherries are harvested, they're processed gently so that when you drink cheribundi it's like eating the cherries straight off the tree. Our juice is never from concentrate, cheribundi is all-natural and orchard-fresh tasting.

Our Tru Cherry juice packs fifty cherries into a short 8oz bottle. (We know because we counted them.) From there we add just enough water and apple juice to make it palate-perfect. Of course, to create the benefits of Skinny Cherry we decrease the cherries slightly and sweeten with natural Stevia. To get the benefits of Whey Cherry into a bottle, we add whey protein.

Our tart cherries are harvested at the peak of ripeness to capture as much of the bright cherry color as possible. They taste better and have more powerful phytonutrients than other superfruits. That includes the trendy pomegranate, the acai berry, grapes or blueberries. Rich with nutrients, tart cherries can help you recover from exercise, sleep better, and in general, live life to the fullest because you feel better. The Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity rating for cheribundi is higher than other juices - that means our juice has a better ability to absorb and neutralize free radicals.

The Review

This is my favorite of the cheribundi flavors. It's 130 calories of deliciously sweet and sour tart cherry juice. There's a bit of apple juice to cut the sourness of the cherries, but it's purely cherry and apple juice.

I also really liked the Skinny Cherry, although its taste is not quite as intense; it's 65% juice because it uses stevia to naturally sweeten and water to cut the calories to 90.

 

I love a good ginger kick in my juice, so I also am a big fan of the ginger cherry juice. Again, it's 100% juice -- cherry, apple, and ginger juice. I love the spicy edge that the ginger adds to the normal tang of the cherry juice.

This protein-enhanced juice is a great post-workout drink since it adds protein for muscle building to the muscle recovery benefits of tart cherry juice. The drink is slightly grainy tasting because of the whey protein, but the tastiness of the cherry juice compensates for it.

Confession: I don't love chocolate. Don't get me wrong, I can get down with a great flourless chocolate cake, and I'm never going to turn down a fudgy brownie (I will, in fact, inhale it), but chocolate isn't my favorite flavor ever. So I just didn't love this drink. The cacao adds a nice depth to the juice, but it still has that slightly grainy taste that the whey cherry has without the benefit of 8 grams of protein. If you're a chocolate lover I'd try this one out, but for me it just wasn't my favorite.

I have definitely noticed less muscle soreness since I started drinking these. Call it the placebo effect, but it seems to be working! Plus, they're a great natural dessert because I love the sweet and sour taste as a close to my meal.

The Fundraiser
The recovery from Hurricane Sandy is ongoing. The destruction was horrific and very, very real. I know we tend to think the news media overplays things in order to gain viewership, but having seen candid photos from friends and fellow bloggers, the devastation in many areas was absolutely terrible. If you've read posts from bloggers like Megan or Ashley, natives of Staten Island and New Jersey, respectively, then you know how bad it is. Our fellow citizens need our help.

I've donated to a local organization and the Red Cross, but I would like to give more to support Hurricane Sandy victims. I feel so incredibly lucky that my little New York family escaped Sandy unscathed.

After speaking with Megan and Ashley, I settled on two local organizations to which I'll donate the proceeds of this giveaway. I am going to donate half of the total amount raised to the Stephen Siller Foundation, a local Staten Island organization, and half to the New Jersey Relief Fund.

The Giveaway
Cheribundi has generously offered to give another pack full of their delicious juices to the winner of my giveaway, so you can taste the different types and decide on your favorite as well. Here's how the giveaway will work:

• (1) You get one entry simply by commenting on this post and answering the question, "do you have a favorite pre- or post-workout snack or drink?"
• (2) You can get one additional entry if you tweet about this giveaway and comment with your tweet and Twitter handle here.
• Please tweet: "I just entered a #giveaway to win a 12-pack of @cheribundi from @jensbestlife and helped donate to #SandyRelief http://bit.ly/YL8M4m"
• (3) You can help, too!! You'll get extra entries for donating to my fundraising page!
• 1 additional entry for donating $5
• 2 entries for donating $10
• 3 entries for donating $15
• 4 entries for donating $20
• 5 entries for donating $25

Here's how you're helping just by leaving a comment and entering the giveaway!

• I'll match each entry dollar for dollar, up to $50 for the first 50 individual entries. 
• My parents have been kind enough to agree to match this amount, for a maximum donation of $100 from us. 
• REMEMBER: you can still enter if there are more than 50 individual entries. I simply won't match your entry with $1.

Please note -- the beneficiary is "me" because I cannot split the funds between two organizations otherwise. Rest assured that I will donate half the funds to both organizations and will post a screen cap of the donation receipt once I make the donations so you know nothing shady is happening.

The winner will be randomly chosen after the giveaway closes on November 14, 2012, giving you a week to enter!

Question: do you have a favorite pre- or post-workout drink or snack?

I was not compensated for this post by Cheribundi. I received only a free pack of their juices to review. All opinions are my own.

Class Review: Pedal at Pedal NYC with Mr. Ray

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I've read that you should do one thing a day that scares you. I can always check that off my list when I go to a new fitness class. I get nervous when I go to new studios or try new classes. Will I feel out of place? Will I be able to handle the workout? Will I look like an ass because I'm out of sync with the class? But mainly, I just feel a nameless anxiety about facing something new.

I'd put off going to Pedal NYC, despite having a great deal via LivingSocial, because I had a miserable experience in Summer 2011 at a Soul Cycle class. I hadn't worked out in months, but my boyfriend's co-worker had raved about the cycling studios, so we decided to give it a shot. It didn't go well. I had never taken a spin class, and I didn't understand the flow of how they worked. My shoes kept coming off the clips--one time I actually fell halfway off the bike--and it took me forever to get back on. In retrospect, there's no way I was ready for such an intense workout. I'm planning on giving Soul Cycle another try someday, just to be fair to them. But I know for sure that my experience at Pedal was totally different.

the studio has an awesome courtyard that apparently gets used when the weather is good!

Mr. Ray
Although I was slightly scared of Mr. Ray at first, (I rarely take classes with male instructors since my favorite studios are Uplift, women-only, and Physique 57, which is pretty female-oriented), Ray immediately calmed any fears I might have had as he was very friendly and helped me set up my bike, explaining how he'd lead the class. Ray was awesome, tough but encouraging. Totally the kind of instructor I like. Pushing me hard but not in an aggressive, mean way. At no point did I want to throw something at him (well, maybe on the last hill when he told us to amp up the resistance even more...)

ok, so male instructors can be friendly, clearly
(source) 

Ray was also great about clearly explaining what we're were doing. During breaks, he'd explain the next set, then remind us as we started it. As a newcomer to spin, it made it really easy to follow along and keep up. I appreciate an instructor who gives me the gameplan ahead of time because it also motivates me: "ok, we just finished the second hill, so we have two more to go." When I don't know how much more I might have to do, I'm more likely to take a break thinking we're going longer than we will be. I also love a good countdown to keep me going, and Ray did lots of "20 more seconds! 10! 8! 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!"

Class Format
The class had a great structure. Started with a short warm-up, then sprint intervals. Another short break before we did hop-ups in intervals and then hills. We finished with an epic combination of all three, repeated twice. It was rough, but Ray's constant motivation to stick with him got me through.

the spin studio
(source)

The music was a good mix, although a tad loud at times (but I'm basically a 60 year old and don't like loud music so I'm not sure most people would agree with me on this). I'm a sucker for a good beat and Ray included plenty in his playlist.

The Studio
The studio is a bit far unless you live in the development on Riverside Boulevard (which I used to -- bummed this place wasn't there back then!). It's basically on the River at 61st St. However, I think it's worth the walk. Small studio with lots of personal attention, cool classes (I want to try the combination kettle ball and TRX class), and a chill vibe. Pedal also does a cool thing where you get an entry into one of three drawings (your choice - class, training session, or backpack) every time you take a class.

coffee, hot chocolate, and snacks - this would be perfect before heading out into a cold fall day! 

Lockers have keys, which I always appreciate, but unfortunately there are no showers. Since you WILL be sweating, it's not a place you could go on a lunch break (but I think they realize that since their classes are currently scheduled for weekday mornings and evenings only). This wasn't an issue since a torrential rainstorm started during class and I was completely soaked after walking a block away from the studio. There are also complimentary snacks and hot beverages for post-class fueling.

Bottom line
I really liked Pedal NYC's studio, and I'm excited to try a few more classes. I've already booked a seat for Tuesday's spin class with Mr. Ray!

Facts:
Class - Pedal (spinning)

Instructor - Ray Wallace ("Mr. Ray")
Length - 45 minutes
Cost - $30 (less if you buy a pack)
Location - Upper West Side (61st Street and West End, around the corner from the dry cleaners)
Skill Level - Open to all!

Is there a type of exercise that you'd written off but gave a second chance and really enjoyed?

Class Review: Warrior Fight Club at Uplift Studios with Amanda

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I am not cool. I am never the first to know about the best new band and half the time I don't know what people on Twitter are saying (seriously, there are too many acronyms out there people). The fact that I had heard of Arcade Fire before they won a Grammy was a rare brush with being "in the know" that has rarely been repeated.

Well, today I got to feel like I was in on an awesome secret before anyone else. I headed down to Uplift Studios (remember, that place I'm obsessed with?) so that I could take a demo class of Uplift's new Warrior Fight Club class taught by Amanda Rose Walsh. The class is a blend of yoga and boxing and it is fantastic.

Class Format
Since it was a demo, some things will change, but the basic form should stay the same. The class starts with roughly 15 minutes of yoga to warm you up and open your shoulders. Since it's a yoga class by Amanda, it involves a lot of chaturangas (yoga push-ups), warriors one and two, and down dogs. The fact that your muscles are warm and limbered up is great because it means you're much less likely to over-extend on one of the many punches you'll be throwing later on.

Amanda was the 2008 New York Golden Gloves Boxing Champion so she has some serious boxing experience (source)

For the next 30 minutes, we boxed. Boxing occurs in rounds, 2 minutes each, with short 30-45 second rest intervals when you can grab some water, wipe away the waterfall of sweat pouring off your forehead, or pass out on your mat. The boxing portion started with shadow boxing without gloves while facing the mirror, so Amanda could demonstrate and correct form as she circled the room. Next, gloves came on and different punches were called while Amanda circled with boxing mitts for us to hit.

The class then broke into stations, moving from one to another after 2 minute rounds, involving a shadow boxing station where women touched gloves (going for speed rather than strength), a core and jump rope station, and a punching bag station (going for strength).

After the break-out intervals, we went back to facing the mirror, alternating punches with burpees, jump squats, push ups, etc. By the end of the boxing session I was dripping sweat and my mat was drenched (thankfully Uplift has a mandatory clean-your-mat policy post-class!).

Finally, class concluded with 10 minutes of restorative yoga poses and a shivasana. Concluding such a high energy class with yoga was a great ending because it allowed for a bit of reflection post-sweat session that you don't normally get, in addition to feeling less tensed up than you normally would after punching things for an hour!

Random Notes
The energy level is super high and infectious. I'm not much of a cheering person, but by the end of the boxing portion, I was woot-ing it up along with the other women, cheering on whoever was hitting Amanda's mitts.

I love the feeling of empowerment that boxing gives me, and that's only multiplied by boxing at a women's studio where the focus is on women and strength-building. During shivasana at the very end, as we were winding down, Amanda reminded us to keep the feelings of confidence and empowerment we felt while punching as we exited the studio. Being forced to reflect on the strength we'd just demonstrated in the last few minutes of class felt like bringing the class full-circle.

Bottom Line
I cannot recommend this class enough! It combines the kick-ass cardio and strength workout of boxing with the strengthening and lengthening of yoga to achieve feelings of calmness and empowerment that I don't feel after most classes, even if they're otherwise totally awesome. Go now (and be the one bragging to your friends about how you totally knew about the new fitness trend before they did).

Facts:
Class - Warrior Fight Club
Site Description - Warrior Fight Club is the only class in NYC that combines a kick-ass boxing workout with strengthening/toning yoga poses. Taught by our amazing instructor Amanda (did we mention she's a Golden Gloves boxing champion?), the class will move you through a challenging vinyasa flow, followed by high-intensity boxing-style cardio with heavy bag training, focus mitts, core work and calisthenics. Class finishes with a closing yoga sequence to give your burning muscles an amazing stretch and ensure a proper cool down. 

Instructor - Amanda Rose Walsh
Length - 55 minutes
Cost - $32 (newbies are half price for their first class)
Location - Gramercy (23rd Street between 5th and 6th Avenues)
Skill Level - Open to all! Amanda will help you perfect your boxing form and none of the yoga poses are difficult to get into.