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Sunset horseback riding experience organized by The Yoga Barn Ranch.
I finally made a trip to Joshua Tree with my family, which had been on my bucket list for several years now! We stayed at a rustic retreat, The Yoga Barn Ranch, located at the Northwest corner of Joshua Tree National Park.
Read moreNow that we are spending most of our time at home, we have hit the pause button on many of our daily habits, especially fitness habits like going to the gym or a workout class. Between Netflix binging and trips to the refrigerator, it’s easy to get out of our routines and feel less disciplined. But, during this challenging time, it’s more important than ever to become resourceful as we adapt to this new normal, especially when it comes to exercise.
We all know that staying active has major benefits, not only for our bodies but also for our mental wellbeing. Below is a list of my favorite at-home fitness apps and streaming workouts. Whether you are looking for a 20-minute yoga class or an intense dance cardio class, I have your stay-at-home fitness needs covered. So grab your yoga mat now and let’s go!
Leggings by Carbon38 (SOLD OUT).
SHOP similar styles!
Shop the carousel below to see some of my favorite fitness gear!
Apps
With access to hundreds of workouts, from yoga to HIIT, the Asana app is like having your own home fitness studio! And, if anxiety has a hold of you or you’re having trouble falling asleep, this app also has meditations that will help you let go of the day’s news and calm your mind. It’s easy to get started with these workouts and they offer amazing shorter classes starting at just 20 minutes! My go-to for busier days for sure!
We may have little control over what’s going on in the world, but this app makes it easy to get a grip on your health and wellness goals. As trips to the fridge begin to blur together, My Fitness Pal gives you a reality check, helping to track what you eat. It also monitors your daily movements and exercise, making it easy to lose weight, tone up and change your habits.
Instead of using quarantine as an excuse to become a couch potato, use this time to become a runner! Couch to 5k promises to get you running 5 kilometers, or 30 minutes non-stop, within 8 weeks. The secret is that it’s a gentle introduction to getting the body moving, starting off alternating between walking and running small distances, and slowly building up.
Leggings by Sweaty Betty (SOLD OUT).
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Streaming and Online Classes
I like this monthly fitness membership app because it makes it easy to schedule different boutique studio classes around the city to vary my workouts. But now that we are all home-bound, I’m loving it for their selection of streaming classes that I can do right in my living room! Through the app, they’ve set up a system allowing them to share a link to their studio partners streaming classes on various studio selected platforms (like Instagram Live, Facebook Live, YouTube). And best of all, from now through June, ClassPass is giving 100% of their proceeds directly to their studio partners to support their temporarily shuttered businesses.
With a cult following (myself included), The Class by Taryn Toomey is a cardio meets Pilates workout blending yoga, boot-camp cardio, Pilates, and freestyle dance into a game-changing fitness routine. This unique class will challenge and enlighten you at the same time through music, understanding of the brain, body movement and spirituality. With fantastic guided instruction and powerful music, get ready to push your body to the limit!
One of the most well-known celebrity trainers, exercising with the Tracy Anderson Method on the regular can truly transform your body. Her workouts are often dance-cardio focused, designed to work out and tone your entire body. Whether you have a beginner, intermediate or advanced fitness level, her online studio offers you classes anytime, anywhere…which is pretty much your living room these days…
Lauren Roxburgh ImmUNITY Boosting Movement Medicine
Known by GOOP as the “body whisperer,” Lauren is the creator of the Aligned Life Studio and Aligned healing tools. She just launched an amazing free program as a valuable resource to help others get through this challenging time. ImmUNITY Boosting Movement Medicine is a package of all of her workouts and movement medicine sequences plus visualizations, recipes and other tools to help keep our immune system healthy and resilient. Her regular online studio also offers paid programs arranged by type (sweat, calm or heal) using those tools she’s famous for such as her foam roller, rebounder, and mat to help you align and tone your body. You can access any of her classes online or through her Aligned Life app. You can also check out and shop her books here!
Melissa Wood Health (MWH Method)
A meditator and certified yoga and Pilates instructor, Melissa created her MWH method out of a need to find a workout that was gentler on her body. Through personal challenges with body image and anxiety, Melissa found her way to a career in health coaching and fitness. Her method is holistic, gentle and effective, designed to give you the body you desire while building a stronger relationship with yourself. You will end each workout feeling mentally calmer and on your way to a leaner physique.
Forward Space on Instagram Live
A workout for those who used to dance, love to dance or want to dance, Forward Space is high-vibe, energetic and fun! A full-body blast, dance-infused, non-stop sweat class. Known as a hybrid between a sanctuary and a club, they are currently holding classes you can join on Instagram Live. A digital dance party is exactly what we need right now!
A selection of targeted or full-body workouts, Brooke loves to incorporate cardio into her leaning and toning workouts to keep them fun. Her class is my favorite for when I want to focus on a specific target area, and the stunning Malibu views in her videos are a nice change of pace from a typical in-studio workout! Her program is available online or through an app on your phone.
An upbeat, cardio-barre hybrid workout, Physique 57 classes are unbelievable for toning, shedding inches, and gaining lean muscle. This online streaming option can turn any space into a Barre class and help channel your inner ballerina. And, don’t forget to fill your water bottle…you will end this workout sweating and invigorated!
Did someone say unlimited yoga, fitness, and meditation for only $20 a month? You may associate the Alo brand with fashion-forward athleisure and workout wear, but their online yoga classes are also fantastic for mind, body, and soul. For restorative, power, Vinyasa flow, or meditation, Alo Moves has it all. Definitely a favorite go-to for any type of Yoga!
Switching up the meaning of the WFH acronym to stand for Workout From Home, Carbon38, another favorite shop for athleisure wear, is streaming workout and wellness sessions with their top C38 ambassadors daily on Instagram Live! You can check their feed for the daily fitness schedule.
Offering movement and connection, legendary Soul-Cycle master instructor and yoga guru, Pixie Acia, is using her time at home to share her yoga and fitness practice with followers. Click the link above to request free access to join her classes as she builds a new, budding community. She invites you to come as you are, no experience necessary, and in return, she only asks that if you loved a class feel free to donate $5-10 in appreciation. Check her Instagram feed for class days and times. All you need is Zoom on your computer or phone!
Equipment
An in-home, high-tech spin bike or treadmill workout with some of the best trainers guiding you through your sessions step by step. Pick a class based on your mood, music preference, workout goals, and experience level. At the time of this writing they are still offering live instruction online, but please check their website frequently for the latest updates. Don’t have a Peloton? You can still use the app even if your treadmill or bike is a different brand.
A high-tech, futuristic, reflective, mirror-like screen mounted on your wall is unlike anything heard of before. You see both yourself and your trainer in the mirror and have an unlimited amount of personal training classes to choose from including yoga, barre, stretching, Tracy Anderson classes, kickboxing, boxing, cardio, strength training and more. Definitely a splurge but so worth it!
I’ve always enjoyed the great workout from a Soul-Cycle class; sweating powered to the beat. Now, they are introducing their new, ready to pre-order bike that brings the energy directly into your home and captures everything you love about Soul. This piece of home-workout equipment not only looks good, but it is also designed to deliver everything you’d expect from their legendary classes, including the great playlists and fabulous instructors, to keep your energy and heart level up.
SHOP LoRox Foam roller
Shop accessories you may need depending on workout:
SHOP Resistance bands (typically in a pack of 5 ranging from light to heavy resistance).
SHOP Yoga mat by Manduka
SHOP Foam roller (LoRox)
SHOP Ankle or wrist strap on weights
SHOP Adjustable Yoga Strap
SHOP Exercise Ball
SHOP iPad and iPhone Stand
I hope you try some of these workouts to stay fit during this challenging time. What are some of your favorite fitness apps? Please leave in the comments below.
Stay safe and healthy!
xx Melissa
What if I told you there was a place in paradise where you could go to physically and mentally reset? Say hello to Shift Mind Body Soul —a week-long holistic retreat with a small group of like-minded women that has the potential to positively impact your physical, mental and spiritual well-being. With guidance from some of the most renowned industry healers, culture changers and educators in the health and wellness sector, this luxe program aims to educate and rejuvenate.
Set against the stunning backdrop of the Four Seasons Wailea on the enchanting island of Maui, this unique immersive experience in the world of luxury travel can help you make a transformative shift and allow you to integrate what you learn back into your own daily life.
Founded by Nicole Fogel and inspired by her own self-care journey after a particularly challenging time in her life, Shift Mind Body Soul Retreat offers each participant an individual experience; a chance to break old habits and thought patterns over five days. This experience of a lifetime is not a week-long escape. It is a week-long transformation.
The SHIFT retreat is a luxury wellness experience with highly curated programming that focuses on overall emotional and physical wellbeing, transformation and the chance to become more self-aware. A mix of mindfulness training, fitness, spiritual connection, and holistic nutritional guidance complement each other to create the perfect environment for personal development and self-discovery. I was lucky to be able to share the magic of this experience with my blogging bestie Janet Gunn, The Grateful Gardenia. Together we laughed, cried, paddled, hiked and connected with so many inspiring women.
The first day entailed an excursion to watch the sunrise at Haleakala Summit followed by a full-day of off-site activities. We did these excursions the first few days of the trip followed by programs at the hotel for the rest of the week. The combination of wellness and fitness activities, healing techniques, and workshops along with eating health-conscious (and delicious) foods, worked together to assist in an overall personal reset.
Experiencing the Haleakala sunrise, participating in a walking meditation within a labyrinth, hiking some of the best trails in Maui, SUP, and doing yoga on the beach were some of my fave activities during the program! It felt good to get the endorphins flowing, and the collective group energy was exhilarating.
Since I am a tried and true foodie, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the magical Bamboo Grove picnic held at a private estate. They served the most delicious, organic food including a vegan passionfruit cake for dessert that was to die for!
Pictured: SHIFT Founder, Nicole Fogel, Erin Lotz, Elissa Goodman, Peter Crone, Lauren Roxburgh and Janet Gunn.
The workshops were educational and enlightening. It was wonderful getting to know and learning from some of the most inspiring and renowned industry thought-leaders, and educators in the world of health and wellness. Erin Lotz, Elissa Goodman, Peter Crone & Lauren Roxburgh shared their wisdom and offered some big takeaways for our lucky group of Shifters.
Erin Lotz, LCSW of Westside DBT, educated us on the importance of mindful awareness. Holistic Nutritionist Elissa Goodman spoke about her experience of beating cancer through nutrition and how we can improve our own gut health. Mind Architect Peter Crone showed us how to identify mental constructs that hold us back and how to change the dialogue within ourselves to improve life for the better. “Body Whisperer” Lauren Roxburgh taught her famous foam rolling class and educated us on the importance of alignment and pelvic floor fitness.
Hitting the pause button and having the opportunity to participate in this immersive program was life-changing for me. It helped me to peel away some emotional layers so that I could truly work on being the best version of myself. It was a chance to gain perspective on my life regarding what is working well and what is not. It also gave me the tools to take action and execute these changes upon my return back to LA.
This past year, I’ve been trying to figure out how to better manage my time and to create more balance in my life. After the type of mental and physical detox that Shift provided, I have been able to organize my days more mindfully and learned how to say no more often. I’ve been able to let go of old habits and patterns that do not serve me and adopted new ones that allow me to live a more enhanced life. We are always a work in progress. As my mother used to say, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Because of the combination of experiences and self-discovery that I took away from every workshop and activity, I now feel a stronger connection to her energy since my return.
Shift’s program gave me the tools to live a healthier, more balanced, fulfilled life. I will always treasure this game-changing experience in Maui filled with breathtaking scenery, power spots, history and culture. It was the perfect venue to help me enhance my physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to make SHIFT happen!
xxMelissa
Want to learn more about the Shift Retreat? Check out the video testimonial and other articles from the event below! *All photos are courtesy of Kelly Fogel. Video by Andrew Gallery.
Chalkboard Magazine: "I Went on a Holistic Wellness Retreat + Here’s What Happened” by Ruthie Ackerman. Forbes Women: "This Entrepreneur Turned Her Fight With Lupus Into A Wellness Movement” by Yola Robert
Click directly on the carousel items below to shop some retreat essentials:
