To Gym or Not to Gym: The Case for Fitness Everywhere!

Image via funkstar.co.uk

BY: DAVID PRADO, CONTRIBUTOR

For those of you out there who know me, you already know that I am not the type to spring for fads in fitness. As a matter of fact, when it comes to judging a new fitness craze or cult workout, I am downright bordering on pretentious. But... that's only because I'm a downright genius. Well... not really. I've just spent more time than I would like to admit in gyms, talking to 'fitness gurus'. So when people ask me if they should try out Zumba, I promptly inform them that we are no longer friends and to keep an eye on their Facebook friends count because it just went -1.

I mean, c'mon people! If it's something you can do after a few long islands, it's not a workout. And unless you are leading a completely sedentary lifestyle and are on the verge of having the doors to your place widened, I can tell you with Nostradamus-like accuracy what Zumba will do for you... nothing. Leave that and the shake weight for your mom and her bridge group.

If you are reading this blog, chances are you already cook healthy food, workout all the time and look pretty damn good if I might say so myself. Yeah, you sexy beast! This post is for you! Let's talk about RESULTS. 

I hear it all the time... 

"David, I'm working with Brad, my personal trainer at LA Fitness, but I don't see results anymore."

OR

"Summertime snuck up on me! Even after 4 months at the gym, I'm not exactly beach-worthy and 'so and so' will be there. I need to look GOOD! I mean, GOOD! What do I do, David?"

DIVERSIFY (AND NOT JUST YOUR PORTFOLIO):

From the no-nonsense way I started this article, you might think I'm going to suggest jumping on a treadmill and grinding it out for 2 hours a day. For an absolute stranger, yeah... that might be my suggestion. But for you? You are a sexy beast... you need more. You, my friend, are fine-tuning with the precision of an infinite decimal. 

You need to do the following...

Image via runningofthereeses.com

GET OUT!

That's right! It's already warming up so now's the time to start working on that tan. Go for a jog with a friend or Charlie your dog. Got a bike? Ride it. I don't mean leisurely. I mean go 'Lance Armstrong' on that thing (minus the blood doping of course). GO FOR TIME. Get a $30 bike speedo, attach it to your bike and see how much you can improve your mile. Lastly, do not underestimate the pool. There is a reason why everyone tunes in for the swimming portion of the Olympics. I mean... look at those bodies! When I saw the bodies on Avatar, I thought to myself 'No way! Thank God it's CGI and not real life!', but then I saw the 400 meter swim at the Olympics and hit the pool shortly thereafter with a renewed passion.

Image via nytimes.com

NOT THAT CLASS!

"But David, you HATE classes!". No, I don't. I HATE some classes, not all of them. Which classes do I HATE? Well, we already addressed those seen at your local gym's Silver Sneaker's program, such as Zumba. Now let's address the rest of the offenders.

Generally speaking, classes offered at the big box gyms suck. How does one figure that out? Ask yourself - Could I have done this workout without the instructor?. If you answered 'yes', then you most likely took a class at LA Fitness, Life Time Fitness or whatever big box you walked into. The instructor didn't motivate you, instruct you properly or even bother asking if you were new to the class. That's because most instructors at these types of gyms are not certified, nor have they done any sort of in-house training. And why should they? They only get paid $30-50 per class. Most just do it for the free membership.

The big corporate gym owners don't care if you show up for a class. They don't make any extra money when you show up. It's not part of their business model. As a matter of fact, it makes much more sense for them to charge your account each month for membership and have you NOT show up for group classes. I mean, heaven forbid you put their equipment to use and it breaks from wear and tear!

Image via nytimes.com

THIS CLASS!

So what classes should you take? Those classes with instructors that care about how you feel and perform in their class. Why? Because they make money on your attendance and they will work hard to make you come back! They have to earn your love and commitment. So pedal that indoor cycling bike until it breaks! They don't care! Sure, these gyms are small, but they have classes back-to-back on the hour. And instead of having to fight for your place in class like you do at the big box gyms, you can reserve your place beforehand and take your sweet time getting there, knowing your spot is secure.

Here are a few classes that will help you in your quest for the perfect summer bod (in order of preference)...

*SOUL CYCLE - Indoor cycling that will get you dancing on the bike!

*TRX - Suspension training that leverages gravity and body weight to perform hundreds of exercises!

*FAST TWITCH - Circuit-based training that utilizes your speed and power!

*CROSSFIT - It's a cult. Find one.

If you find yourself hitting a wall with your workouts, maybe it's time you tried something new! Mix it up a bit, hit the pool, visit a boutique studio and I'll see you sexy things at the beach!

David Prado is a cycling instructor, personal trainer, general fitness enthusiast and recent law school grad (woot! woot!). On his days off, he can be found on his road bike, biking more miles than you've ever thought possible in one day. He also makes a mean mojito and dances salsa like a pro, thereby making him one of the most fascinating men in the Atlanta area, if not the most opinionated. 

The Experts Weigh In: Battling With Body Image

BY: MARISSA ROY, CONTRIBUTOR

First of all, let’s be honest – I am no expert. The only thing I could possibly claim expertise for is being way too hard on myself. I am not an expert at navigating life, I am not an expert at work, and I am not an expert at surviving NYC. All I can offer you here is what I have learned over the past ten years - ten years that have left indelible ink on my soul and unforgettable emotions on my heart. Although my past has made me who I am today, shaping me and making me strong, I do not wish my experience on any woman. Unfortunately, I fear it is all too common amongst us these days.

I have no idea exactly when I started looking at myself and thinking I was fat. Actually, I eventually got to a point where I didn’t even need to look at myself to think I was fat; I just felt fat all the time, as it was so deeply ingrained in my mind. I began my freshman year at the University of Georgia like so many other 18-year-old women do – rushing a sorority, decorating my dorm room, rearranging my schedule. Going to UGA was going to change my life – I just knew it! I’d meet new friends, have a boyfriend, go to football games and find my path. Going to UGA did change my life. Although I can now look back fondly on my time there, I know that it was also strewn with hurt, pain, hopelessness and fear…and those feelings were rooted in my own self image.

If you’ve never been down South, you may not relate to me at all. You wouldn’t know that beautiful, thin, blonde girls rule the land, and let me tell you, they are EVERYWHERE. I quickly found that my 5’8” swimmer's build did not fit in down in Athens, Georgia. To this day I remember that shitty fraternity guy who walked by me as I wore 3 inch platform sandals (oh why??) and muttered “that girl is HUGE!”. I mean, what?? I knew I wasn’t huge! I knew I was fit and athletic (with a pension for the new pizza buffet at the dining hall maybe), but I was huge now…was I??

His words began to eat at me as I looked around campus, focusing only on those sorority girls I didn’t fit in with. I started reading Self, Fitness, Women’s Health, magazines I didn’t even pay attention to in high school. I went to the gym every day. I ate broccoli and chicken breasts for dinner. Every. Night. I remember going to bed with my stomach growling but not doing anything about it. I remember sitting in the hallway of my dorm crying my eyes out to my best friend because I had eaten a cookie at dinner and regretted it with every inch of my being. It seemed that overnight I had become obsessed with what I ate, when I ate, how much I ate and, even worse, what everyone else was eating as well.

By the summer after my freshman year I had stopped having a period. I’d lost 10-15 pounds. I'd caught the eye of a hot, older fraternity guy. A guy “friend” told me I was "looking good lately". All of these things made me think skinny = accepted.

That summer I found myself counting out the number of mints I’d eat at my hostess job. I felt guilty for having five after realizing that they had calories in them. I looked at everything for calorie counts. I was a nightmare to go out to eat with, scraping off any mayo, cheese or salad dressing that doused my plate. Sadly, this first year was just the start.

As my years at UGA went by, I continued to lose weight and became freakishly annoying about meals. I’d eat lettuce and tuna for dinner. I’d claim I wasn't feeling well when roommates wanted to go out to eat because I knew I would feel intense guilt for days after indulging in pizza or pasta. I even dated a guy who knew exactly how many calories were in a can of black beans – REAL healthy relationship. I talked about weight, thought about it, couldn’t let go of it. It ruined hours, days and weeks for me. God forbid I actually enjoy some bread and butter out with my family – nope! guilt, blame and fear would follow.

I cannot blame college, however, because unfortunately this behavior continued on throughout my early 20s after graduation and into my post-college life in Atlanta. I couldn’t enjoy eating ice cream on a date because the next day I would beat myself up. ICE CREAM! I would go into the bathroom at work and lift up my shirt to make sure my stomach was still flat. I would cheer myself on while shopping for being able to fit into a size 2 or size 4. Ribs and hip bones that stuck out were signs of strength and fitness. 5:30am wake up calls to get to the gym were regular, although I hated it and dreaded it. 

You know the worst part? These behavior patterns turned me into a person that I really didn't like. I was so caught up in ME that I couldn’t pour into those around me. It was always about how I looked, how I fit in, how I was seen through the eyes of others. I was miserable on the inside, and no matter how I looked on the outside, it would continue. Being skinny did not equal acceptance of myself. 

The funny thing was, I thought I was healthy…boy, was I wrong!

Summer of 2010 I took a new job, a job I never should have accepted, but at that time, I felt it was the best move for me. That job was the beginning of a deep, dark spiral to rock bottom. I was exhausted all the time but couldn't sleep. I was anxious all day and unable to concentrate on work. I didn’t find joy in normal activities. I didn’t want to be around ANYONE. Scared, I went to my doctor, who drew a lot of blood and ran a bunch of tests. The results, in laymans terms... I had NO hormones running through me, my iron levels were cancer-like low and my nutrients were nil. In short – I was the picture of sick. Not only was my body sick, but my mind was also. I sank into a deep, deep depression. I saw no use in moving forward because the future looked nothing short of bleak. I found myself wishing I would get into a horrible car accident because I just wanted a break – a break from life. I was so far gone that my mom feared for my life. She’d sit on the phone with me for hours every day while I cried and said my life was over. She promised me that I was stronger than I knew - that I would get through this and that we would go somewhere amazing when I did.

If I’m honest with myself, this need for 'a break' was a long time in the making. I was tired of trying to be someone I was not. In fact, I was plain exhausted with trying to keep up the appearance of being happy, thin and accepted. At this point, I started making decisions for my best interest. I quit my unhealthy job (step one...check!). Next I went on medication to heal myself from the inside (step two...check!). Finally, I took a job at Whole Foods (step three...check!). That was mid-October. 

By mid-November, it was like life had completely turned around. I was happy. REALLY happy. I know the other side. I’ve lived the other side. That November my mom came into town to celebrate my 26^th birthday. We went to dinner, had champagne and she gave me the gift of a lifetime – two first class tickets to Italy. We were going to Tuscany to bike through the beautiful countryside for six days and seven nights. THIS was proof that I had made it. I had been strong enough to bring myself back to life.

Over the next year I found this life. I gained weight. I ate. I got back to exercising, not because I wanted to lose weight but because it made me happy. I ran a half marathon with a good friend, and then celebrated with wine and cheese. I visited my best friend, Alex, in Colorado, and we went hiking through the Rockies. I got a dream job at Southern Living magazine. And, in September, I went to Italy with my mom.

We ate, drank and biked our way through Tuscany with a group of 12 other divine people. Not a morsel went into my mouth that made me feel guilty. Not a pedal stroke was taken without thinking: 'If this was four years ago, I would've NEVER been able to do this'. I have never felt so close to God as I felt on those dark days…until I was speeding through the hills of Tuscany. He was there, telling me, you DESERVE THIS! You deserve true happiness. You deserve a life not bound by the counting of calories and the guilt of indulgence.

Today, I don’t know why but that guilty feeling is totally gone. Sure, maybe I shouldn’t eat that burger and fries ...AND milkshake, but you know what? I’m DONE with denying myself a full life. I spent so much time (WASTED so much time) worrying that if I wasn’t skinny, I wasn’t good enough. Reading that now just makes me shake my head. Today, I know that who I am is NOT what I eat. Who I am is what I enjoy, who I spend time with and how I treat myself. I cannot wait to take another trip like that one to Italy. It was a cleansing of the mind and the heart…and food for the soul - the wonderful, cheesy, Italian kind.

It's my hope that my daughter will never feel anything less than perfectly accepted by this world. It's my hope that she will never question how thin she is and how society perceives her. 

Acceptance and healing begin when you realize you are worth so much more than the worry, fear and insecurity you choose to carry around. True beauty comes from within. I'm so glad I finally believe that now.

Marissa Roy, a native of Richmond, Virginia, and a proud UGA grad, now lives in the heart of the East village in New York City. When she's not taking the digital advertising world by storm, you can find her at her favorite coffee shop 'The Bean', at the dog park at Tompkins Square Park, biking up the West Side Highway or restaurant hopping and wine drinking (with yours truly!). If you like making 'good time' on road trips, Marissa is NOT your companion of choice. She likes to stop at least once per hour on road trips to stretch her legs and rehydrate (she has to have at least 3 different beverages going at all times while on the road). While it may take double the time to get to your final destination, you're guaranteed to enjoy the ride with Marissa by your side.

Advice From The Experts: The Road To Recovery

I have a real problem when it comes to wine and cheese. I can talk nutrition all day long, but when it comes to wine and cheese, all bets are off! Give me some! I like my wine red, white, rose... my cheese soft, hard, aged. It doesn't matter. I don't play favorites.

When I'm aching for these things, I call my friend Marissa Roy, mainly because she shares my appreciation for the finer things in life. I know she'll put down whatever she's doing in the name of wine and cheese (and some lively conversation).

In years past though, Marissa wouldn't be caught dead near these calorie-packed splurges. Marissa openly admits that she had a very unhealthy relationship with food, starting in college and continuing after graduation. When I first met her, Marissa was at a perfectly normal body weight; yet, she saw herself in a distorted way and began intensely restricting her diet because of it. Her negative body image eventually led to a major bout with depression, not uncommon to women with eating disorders and body image issues.

Tomorrow, Marissa will share her story. It's a story of reflection, healing and strength. Marissa did something very special after her recovery and I'm pretty sure the pictures will speak for themselves! You didn't hear it from me, but it has to do with bikes, wine and the Italian countryside!

If that isn't a winning combination, I don't know what is! Stay tuned for Marissa's article tomorrow!

Weekend Wrap-Up: From Coney Island to Rockapulco

Yesterday, my friend Marissa, Adam and I had a long (but rewarding!) biking adventure through Brooklyn. We left Park Slope at noon, cut through Prospect Park and proceeded to bike 38 miles to the beaches of Coney Island, Sheepshead Bay and Far Rockaway.

New York never ceases to surprise me. As we were biking along the beach, we turned around to find the Manhattan skyline still visible along the horizon. I would have never guessed that you could see the concrete jungle from the beach!

Coney Island was our first stop. Coney is great because it's only a 40 minute ride from my apartment in Brooklyn along a separate bike path (so you're not worried about getting run over every 5 seconds... biking in NY is scary!). The beach is huge, there's a great amusement park along the boardwalk (you've heard of the Cyclone and the Wonder Wheel) and of course, there's lots of food (including the very first Nathan's Hot Dogs which opened in Coney Island in 1916).

Next up was a beautiful ride through the Sheepshead Bay area, which is full of sail boats and yachts (and seafood restaurants). For a moment, it felt like we were in Florida.

Going over the bridge in Sheepshead Bay

Last but not least, we rode over the Marine Parkway Bridge to the Rockaways, a long stretch of peninsula just to the southeast of Brooklyn, but technically in Queens. The Rockaways have been a popular beach resort area since the 1830's and it's no surprise why. The sand is sparkling white and the area is beautiful. It was hard to believe we were still within the reach of New York City.

After a late lunch of seafood and a much needed break at a picnic table, we headed back to Park Slope feeling very proud of ourselves. Not to toot our own horn, but... Beep! Beep!

Celebrating America: Adventure Style!

Yesterday, I got out of work early and decided to have an adventure! Adam and I biked 32 miles from Brooklyn up to the Cloisters and back. The Cloisters is a beautiful medieval museum on a hill overlooking the Hudson River. In the years between 1934 and 1938, five French cloistered abbeys in Europe were taken down brick-by-brick and shipped to New York to be re-assembled into this beautiful work of architecture. It now acts as a museum featuring over 5,000 works of medieval art, surrounded by gardens planted according to horticultural plans from the era.

Pretty cool, huh?

I moved to New York almost 4 years ago. I moved for the energy and the atmosphere that seems to pervade this city, but I knew I was sacrificing an important part of my life thus far - the ability to walk out my front door and be surrounded by nature! Trees, grass, the open water, the sound of crickets.... you get the idea. But since moving here, I've slowly realized that I have SO MANY environments at my fingertips. We frequently go camping in the mountains just an hour north of the city by train, biking to the beach, and running along the Hudson River.

The ride to the Cloisters was an experience in itself because there were so many different environments to see! The ride took about 2 hours each way. We started in Brooklyn, rode across the Manhattan Bridge, through the shops and restaurants of Soho, up the Hudson along the Hudson River Park, past the sailboats docked in northern Manhattan, through the parks in Harlem, under the George Washington Bridge that leads to New Jersey, on the trails alongside the Metro North railroad tracks and finally through Fort Tryon Park to the Cloisters. Talk about a change of scenery every 10 minutes!

We also experienced some real live NYC nature! Adam was attacked by some angry pigeons that he almost hit, and I almost ran over a big fat rat that darted in front of my bike.

So the lesson learned here is that although you may FEEL like you're biking in North Carolina or the like, you will quickly be brought back to reality when you realize a rat just ran in front of your bike. Yuck.

But pigeons and rats aside, it felt so good to be outside in the fresh air, seeing things I had never seen before. When you make exercise a 'chore', you're not motivated to do it, but when you turn it into part of something larger - by exploring your city or even your neighborhood - you almost forget you are exercising!

So this 4th of July, go have an adventure! Your body will thank you!

What are your plans for the 4th?