While I haven’t talked extensively about any one workout program I have done since starting my at-home workout adventure several years ago now, I am doing one currently that I feel an overwhelming need to tell you about.  I didn’t start this page to influence anyone to pick one workout style over the other or convince you that what I am doing is the only way to get results, but I do try very hard to be authentic and share my actual experiences on here.  Since I actually do these workouts and have gotten fantastic results from them, I would be remiss if I didn’t talk at least a little bit about them, especially this current one which has really been inspiring me on a multitude of levels.  I have not only stumbled upon a brand new style of workout that I never in a million years thought I would enjoy, but the whole experience has reinforced some pretty valuable life lessons I also want to talk about here today. 

So what is this new program that has me dedicating a whole post to it?  Well, glad you asked….it is called Barre Blend!  I just wrapped up Week 4 and am starting on Week 5 today and to say I am in love almost doesn’t do how I really feel justice. I’m borderline obsessed like to the point I can’t wait to get to my TV and press play everyday because I know how amazing I am going to feel as soon as I do, not just physically but mentally, emotionally and even spiritually too!   What’s so crazy about the fact that I am here even talking about this program is when I heard it was coming out on the platform, my first reaction was honestly disappointment. 

I sorta kinda thought I knew what barre in general was all about and with that preconceived notion I had all but written off this entire program before it even went live.  Not only had I decided it wasn’t for me and I wasn’t going to do it, I was a little disappointed this was the next program BOD was putting out because I was hoping for something more along the lines of a heavy lifting, HIIT inspired program like I had fallen in love with after doing LIIFT4!

Barre is definitely not that.  It is at its core a low-impact, almost ballet-esque type workout complete with moves that require the use of a barre or for the majority of people including myself who don’t have a ballet bar in their homes, a sturdy chair.  Now I am not a dancer.  Never taken one dance class or came close to owning a tutu in my life and I for sure don’t consider myself to be all that graceful, like I don’t think I have one graceful bone in my body at all, period.  I liked to climb trees, hit balls, run, jump and play in the mud when I was little and still do, thanks to the oh so fun mud runs I do every year (except this one ☹…thanks a lot stupid pandemic!) but, doing my hair in a nice little bun with ribbons and putting on a pink leotard, just no.  That was reason #1 I wasn’t interested in this program. 

Reason #2, I was afraid if I committed 60 days to it I would actually lose the progress I had gained over the past 2 years.  Again because of my preconceived notion about what a barre workout consisted of, I was really afraid of losing muscle and actually regressing in my progress. Reason #3, I flat out thought I would be bored.  Barre again at it’s core is based on doing small little micromovements which I envisioned to be a snooze fest and something that just wouldn’t hold my attention for more than 5 minutes.

So how did I end up here today writing about how much I am loving every second of this program after I just listed out all the reasons above I wasn’t going to have anything to do with it?  Well, it happened one Sunday evening when I really felt like working out but didn’t want to do anything that involved weights or high-intensity cardio because it was technically a rest day.  I had already done yoga in the morning like I normally do on active rest days, but just felt like doing a little something extra to stretch and lengthen out before bed.  As I was scrolling through the BOD workout program list, the Barre Blend workout popped up and I thought well what the heck this is probably gonna be a really easy workout that I can do in 30 minutes and have at lest gotten SOME moving and stretching in.

So, I half-heartedly pressed play, honestly thinking I might end up stopping it early because it again just wasn’t going to be for me, and I got underway.  Welp, about 3 minutes into it I was huffing and puffing, sweat beads had started to form and to be honest with you all my glute muscles were on fire!  I was shocked!  I quickly changed my perception from I might want to stop this halfway through because I won’t be enjoying it to I might HAVE to stop halfway through because it was so challenging! 

The takeaway from that one workout…holy heck barre workouts are no joke!!!  Who woudla thought?!?  First of all, I have a whole new respect for ballerinas and dancers in general and second of all, I will happily admit I was VERY wrong about everything I thought barre was.  I struggled though the first workout which was a total body barre workout, burned a ton of calories, discovered muscles I didn’t know I had and by the time it was over I was so pumped I could barely wait for the next day to be able to get up and press play on the 2^nd workout. 

Part of my love affair with this workout program is also how positive and motivating the woman behind it is.  The creator and instructor is a woman named Elise Joan who is just simply inspiring.  She is a professional dancer who is also a barre and yoga expert and while she is in phenomenal shape herself, she manages to lead these workouts in a manner that makes you smile through the whole thing no matter how hard they are, how uncoordinated you may feel, how much you may have to modify, or how silly you may think you look.  She radiates joy and positivity and every time I complete a workout, I feel more powerful, happier, and a bit more positive than I was before I pressed play.

In thinking about how I almost missed out on this badass style of workout and this particular amazing program in general, I thought of a few things I could really learn from this while experience that can be applied not only to a health and fitness journey but also life in general, such as:

Challenge your assumptions! 

Barre Blend has brought so much positivity and energy to my life and I almost missed out on it because I assumed it would not be for me.  You would think at this point in life I would realize that assumptions are a dangerous thing to have but I also think the older and wiser we get the more we tend to think we know everything.  This was probably a much-needed reminder for me that there is still plenty to learn and plenty to try when it comes to working out and taking care of myself.  Part of the way I think I need to challenge my assumptions even more moving forward is to focus on what positive outcomes could occur if I do.  Instead of focusing on what potentially could go wrong, or what I potentially might not like, I need to change my mindset to if I do challenge my old way of thinking maybe I will stumble upon something really great just like I did here with this barre program!  I am only halfway through this thing and I am already feeling a little sad about it being over in the next month.  I have actually already planned how I am going to continue to incorporate these workouts into the next program I am going to do and have even started to think about seeing where I can attend some barre classes (when the gyms re-open) in my area once I am through with Barre Blend…that’s how much I sincerely am enjoying this style of workouts you guys!!  I will still probably never own a pink tutu but I am seriously considering buying some barre apparel complete with some cute leg warmers and tights! 😊

Try something new! 

It is especially important to mix things up when it comes to our health and fitness routines. When we get stuck in a rut, taking care of ourselves becomes boring and tedious.  When that happens, we put ourselves at high risk for not only plateauing with our progress but potentially even getting so frustrated we end up giving up altogether!   Finding new and fun ways to get our heart rates up and our metabolism going is imperative especially the further into our fitness journeys we get.   I have been on mine going on three years now and while I do have access to hundreds of workouts and a library full choices when it comes to what type of exercise I feel like doing, I was finding recently I was gravitating toward the same style of workouts from the same handful of programs because well I was comfortable with them and enjoyed them.  And while I still do enjoy them, accidently stumbling onto a brand-new type of movement that is not only challenging but also so freaking fun has breathed new life into my days!  It couldn’t have come at a better time either because besides the fact that I was starting to fall into a bit of a rut with my workouts, given the fact that we have been living under stay at home orders for I don’t even know how many weeks now, finding this program has given me at least one brand new thing to look forward to every day! 

Get out of your comfort zone!  

I caught myself in the mirror during one of the last Barre workouts I completed and first of all I looked pretty ridiculous trying to emulate the particular ballet move that I was attempting but I also noticed the big smile on my face while I was doing it.  I am pretty sure I look ridiculous about 99% of the time I am doing these workouts, but I am having an absolute blast and getting incredible results all at the same time.  Also, I am in my living room so no one else really sees me looking ridiculous which helps! The point is, I am WAYYYY out of my comfort zone with this style of movement but that’s really where meaningful changes happens, right?  If we keep doing the same things we have always done, we will get the same thing we have always gotten.  Change happens outside of our comfort zone and if there is anything I am determined to keep doing, it is changing.  The sky is the limit when it comes to what I believe I can achieve on this health and fitness journey of mine and I know to continue to be able to reach new and loftier goals I need to keep trying new things.  Will all of them be winners?  Nope.  Will I have as much fun as I am having now with this particular program? Probably not.  But the only thing harder than change itself is living with the regret of never trying.  Keep expanding your horizons.  Look silly.  Feel ridiculous.  Laugh at yourself.  Just keep showing up and trying!

So yeah, I learned or at least reinforced some really valuable life lessons and stumbled upon my new favorite workout program all at once with Barre Blend….I would call that a win-win for sure!  If you are at all interested in a kickass yet low-impact workout that will leave you feeling challenged, motivated, feeling super positive and potentially a little silly all at the same time, Barre Blend is for you! Oh and did I mention you don’t have to leave you house to do it?!?!  A few more specifics about the actual program are:

• It is an 8-week program that has you working out 5 days a week and resting 2 days 
• All the workouts are just 30 minutes long and if we are really being honest, who doesn’t have 30 minutes a day to jump around like we are kids again pretending to be ballerinas?!?!? 
• Each workout day also has a different focus and incorporates different moves so no two workouts are the same. For instance, there is day dedicated to:
  • Just legs
  • Another dedicated to abs
  • A cardio day
  • A total body barre day
  • And finally probably my favorite day is the Booty Blend day (yep that’s the actual name of the workout)….which as you can probably guess is dedicated to growing those glutes! 

You know how to find me if you want more info on this program or any of the other ones I have done or even ones I haven’t yet gotten to!  Also, below is the link to try any of them FREE for 14 days!! 

Click here for a totally free, 14 day trial of Barre Blend or over 700+ other workouts!

I would be happy to walk you through picking one that’s right for you or just be your accountability buddy along the way!    It is so important especially right now to take care of ourselves both mentally and physically and continue to not only live but to thrive!  Stay safe and healthy everyone!!

Xoxoxo,

Beth