back at barre3 + breakfast

theclairewithredhair has hit a milestone... 50,000 page views! i cannot thank y'all enough for reading my ramblings and recipes, my thoughts and tribulations! i really do enjoy blogging and as long as you keep reading, i'll keep posting. and if you really like it, share with your friends and family!

as you have read about before i am not one to shy away from trying out fitness classes... from barre3, to total body to spin to hot yoga, i have tried quite a few. some i have hated (read: zumba) and some i am sore for a week afterward. my latest fitness class obsession is barre3. i have written about it before, but now i practice barre3 more frequently than in the past and can really see results. i started going to class infrequently about a year ago, but in the past three months or so, i go on a regular basis.

i have noticed such a change now that i go 3+ times a week. not only just in getting better and challenging myself more in class, but in my everyday life as well. barre3 is all about the mind body connection, a three part formula that carries you from class to work to home. the workouts are designed to change the body to "one of equal balance, flexibility and strength." so what changes have i seen since practicing regularly? more than i am most likely aware of. i can tell that i breathe better and more controlled in my other workouts and am aware of how my breathing connects with my workout. i have much better posture. i was talking with one of my favorite barre3 knoxville instructors, cara, and she told me that my posture has improved exponentially since i first started and she has noticed a change. i find myself carrying myself taller and sitting up straighter while in lecture or even just at home watching tv. my physical body has also changed. as many of you know, i was drastically underweight. now i am at a healthy weight, putting on about 15 pounds of muscle in the past year. barre3 has helped me do that. through isometric holds, light weights and small one-inch movements, i have built muscle and actually have a what they call a "barre3 butt!"

the barre3 method combines holds and both small and large movements to give the full body workout that revs the metabolism, increases the heart rate and energizes the body. i have never once left a class feeling worn out and exhausted, but rather feel energized.

in addition to taking studio classes, i partake in the online workouts as well as read the barre3 blog for recipes (which are all amazing) and health tips and have the barre3 app on my phone! i really do believe in everything that barre3 teaches... it has improved my lifestyle for the better. everyone at barre3 always has a smile on their face and is willing to talk to you, modify any poses and help you in any way that you can.

don't be afraid of trying a new fitness class. with the new year, try something new. you never know, it could become something that impacts your life in a positive way. try barre or spin or yoga or a new healthy breakfast recipe (below), whatever strikes your fancy!

PB2 overnight chia oats

1/4 c old-fashioned oats

1/4 nonfat greek yogurt

1/2 c unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 tbsp chia seeds

2 tbsp PB2 powdered peanut butter

1. combine all ingredients in a container with an airtight lid. mix until well combined.
2. refrigerate at least overnight. (you can prepare up to two nights ahead of time)
3. serve with sliced banana, berries, nuts, etc.

xoxo,

clp