Summer Slim Down Challenge!

If you aren’t on our mailing list already, here’s the lowdown on our first Summer Slim Down Challenge! If there’s one season you want to feel confident in it is the summer. That’s why Town Barre is launching a fun challenge to help you look and feel your best all summer long! The details:

Fitness:

– 18 barre classes
– 18 30-minute workouts

That means 3 barre classes and 3 30-minute workouts a week (spaced out however you’d like). Your 30-minute workouts can be anything – walk, run, bike, at-home videos, any other fitness class or additional barre classes. For example, if you complete 25 barre classes in 6 weeks then you’ll only need 11 additional 30-minute workouts. But of course, the 30-minute workouts are on the honor system! I will only keep track of your barre classes.

Nutrition: (optional)

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from years of trying to get abs for my Patriots Cheerleader uniform it is that when it comes to changing or maintaining your body it is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise. That means not eating less, but eating more of the right types of food. Every other week we post a blog called “Fit Fuel” on TownBarre.com/blog that highlights the types of foods your body needs to truly benefit from exercise and get the best results, but for this challenge we’re taking it a step further and providing you a guide to stay on track.

We’re offering a 6 week meal plan that includes 6 days a week of meal ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner and 2 snacks. This plan doesn’t involve exact measurements or recipes for each meal idea so it doesn’t ADD work to your already busy lifestyles. It is a simple plan you can mold into your everyday lives to help you get the most from this challenge. Many meals will be summer and grill friendly because we all know no ones wants the oven on at night in the summer! Each week includes a grocery list, healthy dessert options and even an idea if you want to go out to eat around the north shore!

Accountability & support: (optional)

We’re creating a private Facebook group for challengers to join to help motivate one another. Whether it means sharing healthy recipes they’ve tried or creating a walking or running group that meets before or after work to get in one of those 30-minute workouts together!

*Please note: You can change Facebook settings to receive notifications via email, Facebook or none at all when someone posts in the group. This way you can moderate your involvement and inbox.

Pricing:

I want this challenge to be flexible and meet your needs so there are many different ways to participate!

– You can use the classes you already have in your account and purchase packages as you go.
– You can purchase the Summer Slim Down Package on MindBody for $262. This package includes 18 classes at $14 each and the 6 week meal plan for only $10. If you already have lots of classes in your account don’t worry you can simply save them for after the challenge, classes expiring soon will be used first.
– You can purchase the meal plan separately for $20 via cash, check or credit card in person.

*Please note: If you are not able to complete the 18 classes in 6 weeks because life happens and summers get busy, the classes will not expire until Labor Day!

Added free bonus: (optional)

In the meal plan for 4 days a week, 1 of your 2 suggested snacks is a protein shake of choice. You are welcome to drink your favorite or research the best option for you, but as an added bonus JuicePlus+ is offering all challengers a free shake after each class they take during the challenge. Yes, free.

That means on the first day of the challenge you’ll receive a free blender bottle and each class I’ll have individual chocolate or vanilla shake packets that you can drink after class for the perfect recovery or save for tomorrow’s pre or post workout snack. Learn more about JuicePlus+ in the section below.

What do those who complete the challenge win?

– Your happiest, healthiest, most confident summer yet!
– A free class!
– 15% off your next class package purchase (includes all class packages and month unlimited options) so you can continue your new routine.

*Bonus: If you recruit and refer a new client to join the challenge and they complete it, you will receive an additional free class!

Why are we doing this?

Consistency is key in any fitness routine and this summer I’m not accepting the fact you can’t get and stay fit during the summer months. Success is found in repetition. You will be amazed at how strong you’ll feel after just 6 weeks!

So, ready to join the challengers and plié and shake your way to a slim summer? Email us now at info@townbarre.com to join the challenge and please note whether you’d like to be included in the private Facebook group or not.

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Happy June! Excited for a fun summer at Town Barre!

Cheers, Michelle

Clean Eats: Healthy BBQ Side Dishes

It is almost Memorial Day weekend! The unofficial start of summer and summertime fun! We all know it is harder to make healthy food choices during the summer. Between beach days, boat rides and BBQs, sometimes a burger and fries is your only option. One way to stop temptation before it happens is to have healthy options with you – that means bringing fruit to the beach and healthy snacks on the boat! The family BBQ doesn’t have to ruin your diet either. There are so many delicious side dishes you can bring to any BBQ that will compliment whatever is cooking on the grill!

I found this great link to 27 Healthy BBQ Side Dishes and can’t wait to make them throughout the summer!

Have you seen our Memorial Day schedule and sale yet? Learn more here!

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A few recipes that caught my eye:

Skinny Mexican Corn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

• 4 ears of fresh Sweet Corn (shucked)
• 2 T plain Greek Yogurt
• 2 T lite sour cream
• 3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp Fiesta Lime Mrs. Dash (opt)
• Dash of salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• Light Olive Oil or Olive Oil Spray

Prep time: 14 minutes

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together greek yogurt and sour cream. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, Mrs. Dash (opt), and salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Spray or brush each ear of corn lightly with olive oil
• Grill for approximately 10 minutes, turning often to avoid burning. The corn should brown in places and be cooked through.
• Take corn off of grill and brush with Greek Yogurt mixture.
• Sprinkle with spice mixture, cheese, and cilantro
• Squeeze lime wedges over each piece of corn.

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BBQ Ranch Quinoa Salad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

• ½ cup ranch dressing
• ½ cup bbq sauce
• 4 cups cooked quinoa
• 4 cups chopped kale
• ½ red onion, diced
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
• ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 avocados, diced
• optional: tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips

Prep time: 15 minutes

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine ranch and bbq sauce and mix well.
• In a larger bowl toss together remaining ingredients.
• Drizzle bbq-ranch over salad. Top with tortilla strips/chips if desired. Serve with lime wedges for drizzling.

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Greek Summer Salad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

For the salad:

• 3-1/2 cups sliced cucumbers (about 1 large English cucumber or 2 regular-sized cucumbers)
• ½ cup sliced yellow onion
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes (about 4 Roma tomatoes)
• 1 small can sliced black olives, drained (2.25 ounce drained weight)
• 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

For the vinaigrette:

• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• ⅛ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt (more or less, to taste)
• 1 teaspoon pepper (more or less, to taste)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Prep time: 15 minutes

Steps:

• Place salad ingredients in a large bowl. Toss gently to combine.
• Place dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Drizzle over salad. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Mexican Chopped Salad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper
• taste and add salt if needed

For the tortilla strips:

• 6 6-inch corn tortillas
• 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

For the salad:

• 1 medium head romaine lettuce , chopped in approximately ½ inch pieces
• 1 medium bell pepper, diced in ¼-inch pieces**, I used small orange-hued peppers (the mini ones). Feel free to use whichever color you want.
• ½ medium red onion, diced in ¼-inch pieces**
• ½ medium jicama, peeled and diced in ¼-inch pieces**
• 1 medium zucchini, diced in ¼-inch dice**
• 4 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced into ¼-inch dice**
• 4 ears corn (if fresh corn is not in season, substitute 1½ cups of sweet, tiny frozen corn)
• 1½ cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup finely chopped cilantro, plus whole cilantro leaves for garnish, if desired

Prep time: 45 minutes

Steps:

• For the dressing, combine lime juice, honey, cumin garlic and salt. Stir to combine. In a slow, steady stream, add the oils, stirring continuously with a fork or small whisk. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Set aside.
• For the corn tortilla strips, preheat oven to 400˚F. Stack corn tortillas on a cutting board. Cut in half. Cut each stack of halves into thin strips, crosswise, about ¼ inch thick.
• Transfer tortilla strips to a sheet pan. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and toss to coat.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, or until light golden brown and crisp. Set aside to cool.
• For the salad, place corn, two ears at a time, in the microwave and cook for 3½ minutes. Remove from microwave with a hot pad and allow to cool for 5 minutes. After cooling, cut bottom end of corn off, about 1½ inches from end. Pull back husk and silks (almost all of the silk should easily pull away). Cut kernels from husks and set aside.
• Combine corn and other salad ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add dressing and stir to coat all ingredients. Garnish with cilantro leaves, if desired.
• Serve with tortilla strips on top or place a bowl on the side and let guests help themselves.

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Lightened Up 7-Layer Dip

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

Layer 1

• 2 cans pinto beans
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Layer 2

• 2 avocados
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 jalapeno, seeded, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lime juice, about 2 limes
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, nonfat

Layer 3

• 2 cups salsa

Layer 4

• 16 ounces light sour cream

Layer 5

• 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce

Layer 6

• 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese

Layer 7

• 2 1/2 ounces or 1/4 cup sliced black olives
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro

Steps:

• In a food processor place layer one ingredients and blend until combined.
• Spread bean mixture into a 9 by 13 dish.
• Clean food processor before adding layer 2 ingredients.
• Blend layer 2 ingredients until smooth.
• Spread on top of bean mixture.
• Spread the rest of the layers on top of each other and refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Cheesy Sweet Pepper Poppers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 pound mini sweet peppers, halved
• 8 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, grated
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup grated onion
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Prep time: 30 minutes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• In a bowl mix all ingredients together.
• Fill each pepper halve with cheese mixture.
• Bake 15-18 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly browned.

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Check out the other 21 recipes and if you try a dish for your BBQ this weekend – send me a picture and let me know how it is! Enjoy a long weekend of remembrance and celebration! Hope to see you at the barre before the beach!

Cheers, Michelle

Free class at Athleta on Market Street in Lynnfield this Sunday!

If it rains class will be held in the Athleta store! Hope to see you there!

Cheers, Michelle

Technique Tuesday: 7 Barre Class Mistakes You May Be Making (And How to Fix Them)

Anyone subscribe to the Well + Good newsletter? It is a daily email full of the latest fitness trends, healthy recipes and articles about popular workouts. I recently saw a great article about the top 7 mistakes you might be making in barre class – and how to fix them. These mistakes aren’t hard to fix but the benefits of fixing them go far beyond preventing injuries. If your form is off the workout can also be less efficient and effective, so you may not get the results you want!

Tanya Becker, who was trained at the original Lotte Berk barre studio, explains the 7 mistakes and how to fix them below:

1. Gripping, or “white knuckling,” the barre during thigh work

Holding on tight is not going to save you. “In general, if you’re gripping the barre, you’re [using] your forearms and shoulders, creating tension that doesn’t serve the movement,” says Becker. So while it may work your biceps, “you’re taking some of the work out of your core or glutes or tops of thighs that you actually want to delegate to,” and that’s what you came for, right?

2. Pushing your abs out during core work

During Pilates-based ab work, especially when you’re curling forward, Becker says people have a tendency to push the abdominal wall out instead of engaging it properly. “There’s can sometimes be a moment when clients are getting tired and instead of feeling like the abs are pressing down, it feels like they’re pushing up a bit. You want to lengthen down into the abs,” she explains. Check yourself by simply looking down at your belly and observing.

3. Wearing the wrong socks

It turns out studios are not selling those grippy socks just so you’ll promote the brand via the soles of your feet. They help provide stability and correct form. Physique uses carpet but some studios have wood floors. Either way, if your feet are sliding, says Becker, you’ll likely end up in the wrong position, with your hips placed improperly or your knees too far forward. In addition to P57 cute ones, Becker also likes Reebok’s True Studio Slippers for this.

4. Holding your breath

“We tend to hold our breath when things get challenging,” Becker says. Instead, focus on deep breathing especially in the most intense moments, and it will boost your energy and help you push further.

5. Using weights that are too light

Barre studios have different takes on weights. At one, your instructor may suggest one to three pounds, whereas Physique may have you go as high as eight or ten. But Becker says no matter the class, you should choose weights that push you outside of your comfort zone, so the workout continues to challenge you, which will lead to better results. “If you want to make the jump, play around with it,” she advises, saying you can always grab a couple of different sets, start with the heavy, and drop down if it becomes too intense.

6. Skipping stretch time

Depending on the class you take, stretching may be incorporated throughout, but if there’s a segment to really go deep at the end, you should really make the time to stick around for it. Lotte Berk, in fact, Becker remembers, would lock the doors of her famous studio and not allow clients to leave without finishing their hamstring stretches. Of course, she’s not suggesting that now and understands that you’ve got to get to work, but it’s crucial for your muscles and also your state of mind. “It’s like dessert. Why would you want to miss dessert?” she says. “You’re going to be way more relaxed and ready to take on the rest of your day.”

7. Worrying about people watching (and judging!) you

“It’s a mistake to think everyone is looking at you,” Becker promises, even though most can probably relate to the feeling. “It feels that way, but my experience is if you’re in a tough workout, everyone is just trying to survive.” The class is supposed to be difficult and is designed to overload your muscles, she says, so if you’re constantly trying to look good or complete every rep to keep up with the person next to you, it’s going to mess with your form and ability to push yourself out of your comfort zone. Remember, she says, “the instructor and most of the others are rooting for you.”

Try to keep these 7 mistakes in mind next class! See you at the barre!

Cheers, Michelle