This has been a huge year. Living in 8 different homes. Organising a wedding. Continuing my blog. And even moving jobs. Quite honestly, exercise has often gone very, very far on the back-burner. Life just sometimes was about holding it together and adding something else to my plate was enough to make me want to burst into tears. But when I moved from working in Te Aro to Lambton Quay, I knew I needed to swap things up a bit and find somewhere new (and that I could afford while saving for a mortgage) to get my sweat on - especially because I wanted to make sure I felt my mental and physical best on the big day.
As you might know from my past blogs about fitness, I’m all about the benefits exercise has on my mind rather than my booty. I find that often when I’m extremely stressed, nine out of ten problems can be solved with a good work out. With the growing pressure of work, social media and relationships, things can spiral fast if you don’t have a regular exercise habit. All the pros agree. Just a small amount of movement can lift your mental state from zero to hero in ten minutes. It doesn’t have to be a major two-hour workout. Anything is something. A jog, some dance or even a walk. One of mine and Matts favourite ways to start the day is to walk to work together because it gives us a chance to move as well as to plan/talk about the day ahead.
Earlier in the year Matt and I were doing brilliant personal training with Laura Jones. We loved it. Then Matt got very busy with studying for exams and his work. He could no longer predict when he could make it, or else we couldn’t make our calendars line up. Soon after, Matt also changed to a job which started at an earlier hour. With our on/off Greytown commute, early PT sessions were out of the question. I started to get lonely at the idea of showing up between PT sessions on my own. I wanted the group energy of other people to motivate me. I felt quite anxious and not sure what to do about bringing exercise back. What had worked 6 months ago just wasn’t fitting my life anymore (I felt pretty guilty about this too to boot. Sheesh!!).
In September when I was running Soap For Society, I saw a Barre Fitness class pop up who were supporting the initiative. They were called Up Fitness On The Terrace. I’d hear about Barre Classes from one of my best friends Gina and I knew she enjoyed the ballet-inspired workout. After a week-long break in October in between changing jobs, I decided that I would sign up for their classes which were just a short stroll from where my new office was. Maybe this would help give me the kick up the ass I needed to bring exercise back into my life?
Immediately, I knew it was going to be the right choice to fit into my busy lifestyle. Up Fitness is almost entirely frequented by women - something I personally like. It is a bright, fun and bubbly space where people can pop in on a lunch break or after work to enjoy one of the many, varied workouts that Cat and her team offer. Classes go from 25-55 minutes but are typically 45 minutes. That’s the perfect amount of time I needed to pop down at lunch and then come back after work. You sweat but don’t get too sweaty, so if you want to run an errand after and not be embarrassed, you can get away with it. There are no showers but dry shampoo and deodorant are available (I just use my office showers after class if I need to).
The classes on offer are Xtend Barre, Xtend Barre Stick, Pilates, Fitball, TRX, Anti-Gravity Yoga and Melt. My favourite has been Barre class, and while I intend to try others, for now, that is the one I’ve decided to focus on. The class usually starts with basic ballet moves with small weights to high energy dance music. You usually then do a few mat exercises which work on your core before moving to the barre where you use it as a prop, along with softballs, bands and weights to work your legs, bum and back. Finally, you do another session on the floor with a band or a ball before concluding with some stretches. Classes go fast and you have to focus to keep up. I found it took a few sessions to learn all the ‘moves’. These tend to repeat with variation, session after session. So although I felt embarrassed to start, after a few classes I was mostly able to keep up.
My favourite instructor has been Pixie who is like a Kiwi version of what I imagine Tracey Anderson to be like, but super nice instead of terrifying. She’s incredibly fit and was amazing at occasionally popping over to correct you so you don’t hurt yourself through bad posture. Because I’ve done hot yoga for ages, I have a tendency to lock out my leg when I am standing on it which is apparently not a good thing. Pixie helps guide you through the class, pushing you without stressing you out. The emphasis is very much on doing what you can and building up to harder levels as you improve. Owner Cat is also brilliant and tends to take Pilates, which is almost always booked out. By working through strengthening and aligning the body, you can leave Up Fitness on The Terrace felling half an inch taller than when you arrived.
If you’re interested in trying Up Fitness, they offer ten trip cards for $200. Otherwise, classes are $25. One thing I’ve found very handy is their app which is very convenient and easy to use. I can book classes on my phone and pay for them, meaning I create an incentive to go later that day or week without leaving my desk or while I’m rushing about doing other chores. No need to sit down at a desktop and log in. The app, the location, plus boutique vibe and just how FUN the classes are (and also DAMN HARD at times) make Up Fitness a habit I’ll be able to stick with. I feel like I am getting an all-over body toning workout in just 45 minutes.
Personally, I’ve been playing with how many classes a week I can handle, knowing that consistency is more important than setting unrealistic goals which I then can’t satisfy. I aim for two classes a week now, and if I can go to more, its a bonus. I have noticed that whenever I do an Up Fitness class, I leave feeling clearer-headed and better about myself. I know that miracles won’t happen overnight and I’m not trying to become a size 8 (I’m a 10-12 FYI). What I do want is tone, strength and confidence in myself. I know that if I am not exercising and trying to please everyone, leaving no time for me, I won’t feel happy by the time I have my wedding day come along. Feeling like I’m doing myself good is fifty per cent of the equation. Along with cutting milk from my coffee, trying to eat less meat and more vegetables plus a little more walking, I feel like I’ll have done a sensible amount of body prep to feel great about getting married in February.
And speaking of getting married in February, I am going to be taking some time off blogging to focus on other projects until after my wedding day and honeymoon. It’s been four years of blogging between 5 - 18 times a month and I feel like I deserve a wee rest to focus on myself and a few other things until the end of the first quarter. SO I hope you’ve all enjoyed The Residents in 2019 and I hope to bring you more stories from Wellington, interviews and review in 2020. Until then, you can contact me still on lucy@theresidents.co.nz if you have any questions or would like to book in with me for after March 2020. Have a great rest of your Summer and speak soon!
