To Gym or Not to Gym

Yes, that is two Kombuchas you see hanging out in my fridge. It’s funny- for a drink I think tastes gross, I’ve got quite the big craving for it! Part of it might just be placebo, but I feel clean and light after drinking these. I’ll work through these two throughout the week. So far I’ve tried Mango and Strawberry… next up I have Multi-green and Raspberry Rush. Ummm… yum?

Yesterday Ryan and I started the week off right with a 90 minute power yoga class. Holy sweat! We are loyal to College Park Yoga. The teachers/owners are welcoming and really encourage us to own our practice and listen to our bodies. I try to let that message continue to the rest of my life, too :)

  After yoga Ryan and I walked over to Infusion Tea, a little vegetarian teahouse/cafe near the studio. We were overwhelmed with yummy choices but I eventually settled on their 1/2 and 1/2 lunch combo with Tempeh Chili and the Milton Special salad.

From the menu: “Milton Special-vegan-Organic field greens, roasted beets, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, tomato, cucumber, hummus and tabouleh with balsamic dressing.”

The hummus was super-creamy, the tabouleh the best I’ve ever had and the balsamic dressing was more like a sweet glaze. The tempeh chili had big chunks of tempeh, beans and peppers. It was perfect.

Ryan got a great vegan chili cheese burrito! And thanks to Miss Ryan for the photos… I left my camera at home and was forced to use her gorgeous Nikon!

   I promise to actually blog all of my meals soon! I’ve been quite busy studying, eating Zbars (yum.) and finishing the cupcakes from my birthday :-) 

To Gym or Not to Gym

As you might know I’ve been studying with NASM to get my personal trainer certification for a few months now. The exam has been scheduled for October 13th. Right now I’m taking advantages of guest passes at my local gyms to figure out which feels like the best fit for me to work at (or for me to want to work at… I’ll need to get hired!).

For the past few months, other than a weekly yoga class, I’ve been exercising only outside the gym- bike rides, runs outside, strength training at the park or my living room, and yoga next to my bed. I find my workouts have been more intense, more exciting and much more efficient than when I belonged to a gym. My workouts are less on auto-pilot when I’m outside or in my own home. I’ve also saved money from membership fees and saved the time it takes to drive to and from a gym.

But for many people the gym works best for them. Having a place dedicated to fitness makes it easier for some to get a good workout. There’s also a high level of motivation that comes from group classes and other gym benefits.

I’ve been to good gyms and bad gyms. There have been gyms that I want to spend the whole day in and some where I feel closed in and am itching to get out after five minutes. I want to work in a gym that is set up in a way that is easy for my clients to follow a program with the tools they need. Also, a gym should feel positive and welcoming.

I’ll report back on what I find visiting these new gyms!

Do you prefer working out inside or outside the gym? If you belong to a gym, what made you choose yours?