Confession time, tribe. I used to hate working out. Not just hate, loathe. In fact, anytime my husband merely suggested that I join him at the gym, I felt like punching him in the face. Why was I so hostile? What was making me actively resist working out? And how the hell am I now a fitness professional who spends most of her days drenched in sweat and powered by endorphins? I’ll explain.

When I hated working out it was because I didn’t know how to work out. I knew how to dance and I knew how to be active, but going to the gym never appealed to me. I felt bored. I felt like I should be there, but not like I wanted to be there. I thought, if I were supposed to be working out then I would be good at this. I guess that’s just not me. That was the same reason I refused to run. Running is perhaps the simplest way to work out - no equipment, no skill set, just one foot in front of the other, and yet I thought I was bad at it so I refused. It hurt, I ran out of breath quickly, I couldn’t go as far as my friends, I didn’t have the right shoes. All of these things made me think, Court, you are not a runner. I believed if I was a runner, it would be easy.

My problem wasn’t that my body couldn’t do it. I didn’t like working out because my mind couldn’t do it. I didn’t understand why I should. I was fit enough; why did I need to be toned? I have always been petite, so why did I need to be strong? It felt like the only reason to work out was to be skinny, and that felt empty to me. That felt shallow and silly and like a waste of time.

Then I found myself at a bit of a life crossroads. I’ll spare you the sad details, but needless to say I had some time on my hands and found myself trying new workouts with friends. I started going to group classes and realized that with a little instruction I was actually pretty good. But that wasn’t the reason I became a fitness junkie. It was the results. I saw changes in my body. I saw changes in my mood. And I realized why I was seeing results.

The funny thing is that realization came in classes when (just like in my non-running days) it hurt; I ran out of breath quickly, I couldn’t do it as well as everyone else and I didn’t have the right shoes. But the difference was that I stayed in it. That’s why I saw results. I stayed with the discomfort. I saw everyone else going for it, and I thought, well maybe I’ll just try.

During one particular class, I was holding a plank and I had an epiphany: Working out is not about being the best, working out is about putting yourself in impossible positions (read: plank) and enduring. Working out is about overcoming the silly stories in your head about who you are and who you’re not. Working out is about transforming into the best version of you.

When I started seeing physical results, I realized that I had more energy, more enthusiasm, more positivity. And, let’s be honest, I loved when people saw me and said, Whoa you look amazing! That felt really good because I knew that I owned it; I had created that by staying with my discomfort. I chose it. When I figured out that I could own the change in my body and my mind just by showing up to class, I loved every sweaty minute and never looked back.

Cool down at the end of a bari class feels like a big sigh of relief. You worked for it. You made it. You deserve it. And it feels really, really good. While it’s our job to stretch you out after every sweat session, taking the initiative to give your body a little extra TLC on your own time will help your muscles recover more quickly, thereby enhancing your practice. Not sure how to stretch it out on your own? Getting creative with makeshift stretching props will allow you to access deeper stretches, leaving your muscles limber, happy and ready to work for you. Re-purpose these common home items into stretch props for a simple and effective at-home stretching routine.

the prop: belt

Belts can work as an extension of your arms to help stretch muscles you can’t normally reach with your hands (think hamstrings!) You can also use them to measure progress by seeing how much slack you have below where your hands are holding. As your slack increases week to week, you’ll know that you muscles are holding less tension!

the stretch: hamstring stretch

1. Lie down on your back, and place the belt on the ball of your foot.
2. Gently pull the leg towards you while keeping your hips and opposite leg on the floor.

the stretch: chest opener

1. While sitting Indian style, hold the belt behind your back with your palms facing down.
2. Lift your hands up while you pull the belt apart, and you should feel your chest open. Make sure to keep your shoulders down!

the prop: pillow or towel

Pillows and towels can be used interchangeably to support the body and aid in relaxation. With pillows, try different shapes and firmness levels to see what feels best for your body. With towels, try rolling them in different ways to see how malleable or firm they can be in different positions.

the stretch: lower back stretch and support

1. Lie on the floor, and place a pillow or a rolled up towel under your tailbone (not under your lower back! No need to arch your back and crunch your lower vertebrae). Your hips should be higher than your ribs.
2. Pull your knees into your chest to feel the lower back release.
Want a hip opener? Keep your hips where they are, and let your knees fall open to the side.

the stretch: chest opener

1.Lie on your back and place it a firm pillow (a bolster shape is good for this) or a rolled up towel between your shoulderblades.
2. Open your elbows to the sides, in line with your shoulders, and feel your chest muscles stretch and release.
Form note: Make sure you don’t splay your ribs or arch your back!

the prop: sports balls

Not for the paint of heart, lacrosse and tennis balls are the perfect at-home tools for self-myofascial release. Use these for massaging any sore or tight muscles.

the stretch:

1. Lie down and place the ball underneath your tight muscle. Roll in all directions until you find the sweet spot of muscle pain. Deep breathe and roll until you feel the muscle release.
Form notes: If rolling on the floor feels awkward or is causing too much tension in other muscles, try placing the ball against a wall and rolling there. We recommend rolling the IT band, calf muscles and Achilles tendon, butt and upper back (in between the shoulder blades).

the prop: bag of dry beans or grains

Use these items like you would a weighted sandbag. They can help the body release unwanted tension and aid in relaxation.

the stretch: hamstring stretch

1. Lie down on your back and bring your right leg towards you.
2. Place the weighted item over your left ankle to anchor down your inactive leg while stretching.

the stretch: shoulder release

1. Place on shoulders as to release tension.

the stretch: pelvic awareness

1. Lie on the floor, bring feet together and let knees open wide.
2. Place weighted bag on pelvis to relieve menstrual cramps, find lower abdominal engagement or open your hips.

ready to sweat it out with jason in tribeca?

catching up on this month’s {coaching the coach} series? read week one, week two, week three and week four.

Four weeks to change. Four weeks to new habit-making. Four weeks to understanding more about my body’s potential and becoming confident that it can change quickly. That’s all it took.

I’ve never been more certain that all you need in order to see major results is a strategic plan and a willingness to try. I’m certain because I just did it myself. With the bari coach program, I dropped 3 percent body fat and 1.5 pounds in 4 weeks. If you’re like a lot of people, you’re probably thinking, but you’re a trainer. I could never do it. That worked for you, but it wouldn’t work for me. And I’m here to tell you the top 5 reasons why the bari coach program can catapult your results, too.

1. The accountability of a coach (or in my case sharing all my dirty little secrets week after week with you lovely Tribers) kept me (positively) on track. When you gave me your sweaty fist bumps or checked in on my progress or told me I was looking good, it made every healthy choice easier to make. Your bari coach is your personal cheerleader, your fitness Fairy Godmother and your enthusiasm reservoir. You can do it because you’ve got someone in your corner.

2. Small attainable goals increased my momentum. We want big changes right away but get frustrated when we can’t see them overnight. In the last four weeks I learned that any major changes I made were actually just an accumulation of little choices I had been making along the way. Sometimes we can’t see the tiny steps to our overall goal, and coaching lights the way.

3. Every week I learned to trust myself more. This past weekend I ran a 5k in my husband’s hometown and hit a personal record of a 7:37 pace. I’ve never come close to that before, and I did it with trust. I kept my eye on the woman in front of me and said, all you have to do is keep her in sight. I trusted I could do it because I thought about everything else I had accomplished this month - from drinking more water to improving my posture - I had built trust in myself that I was capable of changing my habits so I knew if I chose to run faster, I would do it. And I did.

4. It taught me how to give myself a break. Trainers in particular run the risk of overtraining, so taking days off and the self-care actions necessary to rejuvenate my body and mind catapulted my efforts. Measuring just how much rest affected my results made me aware of how much more mileage I could get out of my workouts if I simply went to bed and took better care of my rest schedule.

5. It made me happy. A lot of my life is about serving and supporting others, and I love it. But doing something for myself because I knew it was good for me made me 80 times better at everything else I was doing.

All of these major results (from the numbers to the lifestyle change to the happiness factor) can be yours, Tribe. All you have to do is choose them. Maybe you grab a coach, maybe you get your name on the wall for the sweat challenge, maybe you choose a package or membership to keep you accountable. Whatever you need, bari’s got the resources for you. All it takes is the first step: make the choice to live your best life. And from the other side I can tell you, choosing a healthy body and happy life is a choice you will never ever ever regret.

catching up on this month’s {coaching the coach} series? read week one, week two and week three.

They say it takes 21 days to create a habit, and I just passed my 21st day on my ‘coaching the coach’ program. Let me say from the other side of those 21 days: Habits. Built. I didn’t think I would go through such an enormous change, physically and mentally, but committing to this program has absolutely shifted the way I think about everything from my workouts to my food to my mantras. Since I now feel slightly addicted to manifesting change, I’m making my final push through September a doozy.

body

last week: Three or four different people (including my hubby who sees me every day) positively commented on how I looked. At bari, we’re numbers people. We like fact-based results, but I’m not gonna lie, it feels good to have that extra boost from people who acknowledge the work you’re doing. It helped me acknowledge that my body is primed and ready to integrate everything I’ve focused on for the past month. I’m also running a 5k at the end of the week, so all my bari-induced body knowledge will serve me, and I’m gunning for a PR. Because, hell, why not finish with a bang?

the big takeaway: Little incremental changes (quickly) add up to a whole, healthy body.

this week: To reinforce the physical changes of this past month, I will:

• initiate movement from my core and fully expand my movement to push me to my limit.
• add extra challenges to my personal workouts - use weights where I had only used body weight, hold my planks for 8 extra counts, create more effort for my body by bending deeper in my balances.
• foam roll, foam roll, foam roll. If you and I work together privately, we talk about this every single week. If I’m going to get any benefit from pushing my body to its physical limit, I HAVE TO give it an equal amount of rest. Overtraining reaks havoc on our bodies and undoes all the good we’ve already done. Resting and self-care are essential this week.

food

last week: I absolutely loved cooking my meals ahead of time. I made a delicious turkey chili and filled my prepped meals with lean protein that got me through the week happy and full. And an unintended upside? I probably saved at least $100 from not picking up a little something when I was out every day. I am hooked on this master plan now, and because all I need is one afternoon to cook and a freezer to store, I know it’s something I can sustain.

the big takeaway: Huge lifestyle changes can come from one single action.

this week: Because I’m on a healthy high, I will:

• plan ahead and cook my meals for the week so I am never without a healthy option, again!
• experiment with eating six small meals a day as opposed to three large and see how that makes me feel.
• continue cutting out unnecessary sugar.

mind

last week: I promised I would get the massage I have been putting off for months. Why is self-care so hard?! Luckily, Diem and Sarah Levy both checked up on me to keep me accountable, and I’m grateful because I got a massage at the end of a very long week, and my body felt incredible. This kind of rest and rejuvenation is exactly what my body and mind needed to begin this final push. So many times we think being “on” or super duper productive is the key to being happy. But after this week, I am certain that a majority of our happiness comes from feeling balanced.

the big takeaway: Work hard, rest hard. Don’t apologize.

this week: I’m going to keep striking the balances that leave me feeling energized, so I will:

• make a list of my priorities under the categories: home, relationships, career, self-care, creativity. I’ll make sure to accomplish or highlight one of those priorities first thing in the morning, before email, before Twitter, before anything else.
• sleep 7 to 8 hours every single night. All the research shows that if you work out hard, eat well but don’t get enough rest, your hard work is for naught. I’m not giving up any of the hard work I’ve put in, so I’m going to guarantee it sticks and works by getting my butt to bed every night.

I can’t wait to share those final results with you, tribe! Stay tuned for the final reveal next week. And thanks for keeping me accountable. Next month - it’s all you…

catching up on this month’s {coaching the coach} series? read week one here and week two here.

Oh we just love/hate the scale, don’t we Tribe? In our obsessive, type-A, results-addicted fashion, we will step on that thing even though we know it doesn’t tell the whole truth. I’ve done this a million times in my former non-bari life and let it deflate whatever progress I had been making. Holler if you hear me.

This is why I love the Bari Coach program and our accountability Mondays this month. Because you have someone telling you what the numbers mean. You have someone to explain why the scale weight hasn’t dropped when your pants’ size has. You have someone to explain that the American Council on Exercise recommends 1% body fat loss per month. And since I’m coaching myself this month, I decided to take my measurements and see how I’ve changed so far.

Drum roll, please.

In two weeks, I’ve lost 2% body fat and 1 lb.

If you didn’t skim the above paragraph, then you get why this is super exciting. With the customized prescription I’ve been following for my lifestyle, in regards to dropping body fat, I accomplished in a week what is usually accomplished in a month. And why just a pound of weight loss? It’s the lean muscle mass, my friends. I built leaner muscle (which is heavier than fat) and that helped me burn more fat than I would have otherwise. So even though the scale stayed relatively the same, my clothes have been fitting looser and my body has felt tighter overall.

I’m more motivated than ever. So let’s recap what worked and look ahead to how I’m going to kick my own ass in week three:

body

last week: I focused on opening up my chest and my back. My lower back is extremely flexible from all my years of being a ballerina, but my upper back has suffered as a result. This week I focused on it so extensively (as you might have noticed if we trained together) that my hubby Craig told me out of nowhere that my posture had substantially changed for the better. I also noticed that my seated posture changed. When I ride the subway or sit down to write, I’m so much more in tune with how my body is either slumped or supported and feeling supported in my body has consistently boosted my mood.

the big takeaway: Good posture isn’t just good for the body, it’s good for the mind.

this week: To reinforce my upper back’s newfound strength, I will:

• focus on my core connection to every movement, specifically in cardio.
• continue lengthening through the top of my head so my upper back and abs have no choice but to work together and stabilize my long upper body.
• use my core strength to create deep twists without collapsing my upper back in sequences like The Jane, Black Diamond and Cannonball.

food

last week: My schedule was a little bit scattered with long days and not a lot of food options. I didn’t get in as many veggies as I wanted in every single meal, but when I was able to come home and cook dinner, I would double dose the green in everything. On Friday, I had a rather long day and didn’t bring any food from home, so I headed over to sweetgreen. Oh dear Lord, it was so good. I had a kale salad with lots of veggies and lots of protein (grilled chicken and a hard-boiled egg) which got me through three hours of teaching with plenty of energy and without feeling weighed down.

the big takeaway: Planning ahead is the key to staying on track, especially when life starts to get busy.

this week: Because I want to set these healthy food habits, I will:

• plan ahead and cook my meals for the week so I am never without a healthy option.
• make sure I’m getting enough lean protein before a very long sweat sesh (3+ hours) or directly after toning (so my fatigued muscles get the nutrients they need to repair quickly).
• continue cutting out unnecessary sugar.

mind

last week: Thanks to Craig who always chimes in with the perfect book recommendation at the perfect time, I started reading The Freedom Manifesto by Tom Hodgkinson. It’s a quirky, somewhat out-there, free-spirited argument for idleness. I know that I can get obsessive and miss out on the vibrancy of life in order to just check things off my to-do list, so this book is a welcome kick in the pants. Going into the next two weeks, I don’t want to just complete a challenge I set for myself, but fortify a lifestyle I can live with forever.

the big takeaway: Creating freedom (from old habits, stale choices, a lifestyle that doesn’t serve us) is just like creating happiness: it’s a choice we can all make at any moment.

this week: I’m going to take full mental ownership for all of the choices I make or don’t make, so I will:

• finally get the massage I’ve been saying I’ve needed for months. This was on last week’s to-do and I never did it. I’m way overdue and not taking it off my list until I practice this self-care.
• walk into every situation knowing that I have the power to make things better.

I’m halfway through and more excited than ever. Let me know if you’ve been following along and keep those sweaty fist bumps comin’!

missed last week’s {coaching the coach} post? catch up here.

Well that was fun. Seriously. That first week of being coached (by myself) was the kick in the butt I needed to get super serious about September (and apparently, alliteration).

I will spare you all the sweaty details, but here are a few of the surprising results from week one’s prescription confessional, along with what I’ll be doing during week two:

body

last week: I burned out those legs on the floor, on the tramp and in the deepest lunges I could find and realized just how much my legs connect to my back. Now of course I knew this — everyone recognizes that our bodies are intuitive and efficiently organized if only we’d get out of our own way. But I didn’t think that by focusing on my legs I would see such drastic results in my abs. The further I pushed my legs, the more my core had to stabilize. It was a beautiful relationship that I plan on continuing.

the big takeaway: Making every movement bigger makes my circumference smaller.

this week: To capitalize on the back/core momentum, I will:

• focus on my arms by expanding every movement further and further away from my body.
• take out unnecessary and inefficient movement in my upper torso when I’m isolating my arm and back muscles.
• continue to plug my shoulder blades into my back to expand and open my chest.

food

last week: My big goal was to drink 64 ounces of water a day and have the clearest pee of all. I did pretty well here, but something magical and unforeseen happened to my eating habits because of hydrating so often and so fully: I tasted my food. Consuming so much flavorless (albeit refreshing) H2O made me surprisingly conscious of how good the flavors were in my regular ol’ meals. I was full on water so I wasn’t rushing my meals away.

I also watched the documentary Hungry For Change to get even more engaged. It was a huge wake up call to me. After watching that film, as I walked around the grocery store all I could see was “food-like product” and very little food. My favorite catch phrase that has stayed with me all week was, “People are feeding themselves, but they aren’t feeding their cells. Their cells are starved for nutrition so they still feel hungry even though they’re filling up on food-like products.”

the big takeaway: Asking myself each time I reached for food if it would nourish me at the cellular level made every food-related decision a no-brainer. Big metaphor for life, people!

this week: Because I’ve identified this molecular need for nourishment, I will:

• add more greens to every single meal. Yes, this includes breakfast. Meatless Monday recipes, here I come.
• continue drinking so much water; I want to be able to sweat all day and still have flawless skin.
• reduce unnecessary sugar from my meals. I’ve cut sugar out of my coffee for months now, but I’m about to get serious with the sugar reduction.

mind

last week: This was the toughest part for me and the biggest reason I think everyone needs a coach. It was difficult to acknowledge my own success! I gave myself a pretty tough workout on Monday, and I had to call on my reserves of encouragement throughout the rest of the week. Because bari is a ridiculously awesome place to be, I had lots of affirmation and love coming from the team, and I’d like to specifically thank Kara and Sara for giving me oodles of support right when I needed it the most.

the big takeaway: Everyone needs a community, even if it’s just one person, to say I see you, and you’re doing great.

this week: Knowing I need a little more affirmation than the average Jane, I will:

• write a gratitude list every night, three things that made my day.
• finally get the massage I’ve been saying I’ve needed for months.

I’m looking forward to this week, Tribe. It’s a big one, and I know my habits are going to start setting in during whatever I do or don’t do this week. If you’re following along with any of this prescription on your own, let me know when you see me in the studio so we can give each other a sweaty fist bump and some encouraging words. See you in class!

You inspire me on the daily, tribe. You hold planks for what feels like hours. You cheer each other on because you know how far affirmation and a “f@ck yeah” can take you. But you also know that staying committed to your healthiest life can be toughest in the summer when all the odds are against you. So in true #bariddicted fashion, many of you signed on for our bari coach program to reinforce your good habits and keep you in check during these happy hour after happy hour, vacation after vacation summer months. Just within the coach program this summer, I’ve seen pounds dropped, inches lost, body fat reduced, and let me tell you: some (toned) asses were kicked.

But it didn’t come from wishing and hoping, it didn’t come from dropping into class here and there. It came from habit.

This got me thinking. What does it feel like for a triber who is already a bari ninja to take her healthy habits to the next level? What does it feel like for a bari virgin to build healthy habits from the ground up? What does it feel like to create a brand new lifestyle out of small weekly goals?

I knew I wouldn’t fully understand it unless I did it myself. Unless I got a taste of my own medicine and put my own habits to the test. In order to answer those questions and get inside a coaching client’s head, the strategy seemed obvious: it’s time that I put myself through the bari coach program.

For the month of September, I will be following a prescription very similar to what I write out for clients with goals, class focuses and lifestyle shifts emphasizing the creation of new habits. I’ll prescribe for myself the same strategies I would use for a client who had my kind of life. Each week, I’ll report back to you on my progress.

Consider this a (not so undercover) investigation into what can really be achieved when you choose a healthy life every single day. Ready? Here’s my prescription for week one:

body
To get the most progress in the shortest amount of time, I’ve got to work my biggest muscle group: my legs and butt. The leaner these guys are, the more calories I’ll burn, so my personal focus in every single workout this week will be:

• to work an inch further every time: higher knees, lower lunges, deeper bend in the supporting leg.
• on the trampoline: to find more stability in my supporting leg during balances by deepening my knee flexion.
• during floor cardio: to use my legs as a source of power, traveling with boosted energy.
• through toning: to get lower in my knee flexion without tucking my hips, keeping the energy driving through my heels so I work my butt and not my quads.

food
I have a terrible habit of not drinking enough water. I know that the biggest measurable change I can make this week is upping my water intake. I’m going to use the app Water Logged to keep me accountable. This week, I will:

• drink 64 ounces of water a day. Eight glasses. Clear pee.
• Keep a food journal so I can see what I’m actually eating.

mind
Like a lot of our tribers, I am constantly on the go, onto the next thing, in a rush. In theory, I believe we can accomplish huge goals and execute our dreams even when we slow down and appreciate life, but in practice sometimes my energy is frenetic. However, I know my most productive moments have been because I’ve taken time for myself, so this week:

• I will meditate once a day.
• I will acknowledge each time I work out, eat clean or slow down as success.

Tune back in next week to see how I did. If you see me at the studio, ask me how it’s going. And if you’re so inclined, follow along with each weekly prescription. Here’s to starting our fall off right: choosing a healthy body and a happy life.

Have you heard of runner’s high? This is the phenomenon that happens when runners run for so long and their bodies get so tired that they eventually enter a state of euphoria. It’s almost like all of their blocks fall away so they can simply enjoy the movement of putting one foot in front of the other despite the pain.

Maybe you’ve felt this at bari. It’s that moment when you’re bouncing on the trampoline, your legs are jell-o, your heart is pounding, your body is covered in sweat — and you’ve never felt better. This isn’t just feel good mumbo jumbo. When this happens, you are accessing your flow state. Flow was researched and identified by psychologist Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi and is technically considered “optimal experience.” It occurs when you allow yourself to stay present in the moment without your ego or self-conscious mind getting in the way. What does it feel like? You are completely absorbed and stimulated by the task at hand. You don’t experience time the same way anymore; the minutes fly by or slow down.

So how can you access this legal high? Do something difficult. Yep. When we do something just outside of our comfort zone, our base level of skills have to rise to meet the occasion. Think of it this way: if something is too easy, it’s boring; if it’s too hard, it’s frustrating. But that pocket of difficult and attainable is the perfect combination to elicit an optimal experience.

At bari, your expert trainers are constantly evolving our method in pursuit of this exactly. That’s why we create new sequences, design new class types, bring in new props. bari’s evolution is the key to your flow. No matter how good you get, we’ll always find new ways to make you better. No matter how hard it is at first, your private training will break down the elements in a logical, easy way to get you up to your flow speed.

Why are we so obsessed with customizing the workout to every single client? Because we have achieved flow through bari, and we want you to experience it, too. To learn more about flow, check out this brilliant TED talk from the man himself. And then book your next class or private with us. Come get high.

photo via craig hanson photography

If you’ve been around the Tribeca studio at all, then you’ve probably heard me shouting from the rooftops that my hubs and I are going on vacation to California next week. This in and of itself is not a miracle, but mentally it feels like heaven on earth. We go, go, go all year, and our brains need a rest even when our bodies want to keep going. Do you know this feeling, Tribe? I’ve got a feeling you do.

But I’ve got goals like everyone else. Things I want to tone, energy I want to have, mental battles I want to overcome. So I know that when I hit reset, I need to be intentional. I need to consciously choose how I refresh my body and mind so I can come back after the summer better than before. So here’s my master plan:

1. Make conscious food choices. Just because I’m on vacation doesn’t mean I am going to slip into a blackhole of regret. And it also doesn’t mean I’m going to avoid consuming delicious Napa Valley wine or the amazing local and fresh food of San Francisco. I am, and I’m going to be conscious about it. When I choose to eat or drink, I’m choosing to taste. I’m choosing to have a new sensory experience. I’m choosing to nourish my body with new tastes, smells and textures that I don’t normally experience at home.

2. Meditate with a new mantra. You know I love this even when I’m not on vacation, but Craig and I will be out in Ojai, and one of my clients suggested we visit Meditation Mount. A new meditation spot calls for a new mantra if you ask me, and I’m going to swap out my current mantra for this newbie in my repertoire: I am enough. My reset will happen from the ground up. Weaving in “I am enough” to my daily practice will keep me reminded that when I get back to the city, no matter the pressure to get everything done right away, I will always be enough. If you’re interested in following along this meditation path with me, sign up for Deepak and Oprah’s 21-Day Mediation Experience on August 11th. Our bari peelers did the last one and loved it. Try it out whether you’re at home or out of town.

3. Run for my workouts. Gasp! I’m not doing bari! Not that I wouldn’t if I could, but our trip won’t take us down to Newport Beach (major sad face), so I’ve got to fit in something else. One thing I learned after running a 15k this year is that bari is incredible training for just about everything. My heart has never been healthier, my joints have never been more stable and my muscles have never been more toned. This means climbing those big, beautiful California hills is not only part of the plan, but I’ll be trying to outbest myself all the way up the California coast. After all, being healthy isn’t just about cosmetic advantages (although, a tight, lifted butt never hurt nobody), it’s about getting to experience more of life, getting to climb to the top of the mountain or hike a beautiful trail or stay outside just a little longer. Because bari has made me healthier than ever, I’ll have more stamina, endurance and energy to see new sights and perspectives, which is exactly what a reset is all about.

4. Disconnect. No computer, no emails, no barely any Facebook. The magic of disconnecting is that when all the health elements are in place and we simply let ourselves relax, the body takes care of itself. Sometimes we get so hyped up with the high intensity of our workouts, we forget that relaxing and resting is just as instrumental to results. Allowing myself to breathe a little deeper, walk a little slower and stretch for a little longer means I’ll be ready to come back and kick ass better than before.

5. Let myself be surprised. The only rule of vacation is there are no rules on vacation. I’m going to a different part of the country, going to meet different people, see different landscapes and allow myself to be surprised by it all. When we travel, we look at the world with a fresh set of eyes. I know that perspective will help me to reinvigorate my normal routine when I get home. Letting ourselves be surprised reminds us that nothing is inevitable. Our health choices, our relationships, our careers - nothing is inevitable and everything is a choice. Here’s to choosing happiness and health over and over again.