Cherry Poppin’: SoulCycle

Worth it? YES.

When my friends told me they were paying half a week’s worth of groceries for one spin class, I thought they were absurd. You’re kidding right? A workout is a workout. You go, you sweat, you’re done.

FALSE.

My sister dragged me to an 8:30 spin class this morning and I was just eager to burn some of the cals I gained after eating an entire pie ofDaiya pizza to myself at 11 p.m. (had to…as a GF vegan, I hadn’t had “real” pizza in over 3 years and finally found a place that sold these beautiful creations).

Walking into the aesthetically gorgeous studio, I scoffed at those around me. Premium costs for bold, clean typefaces on the walls. As I struggled to snap my feet into the bike, an assistant came over to help me set up my bike properly. I don’t need any help – harumph. No, Alyssa, you really did.

The instructor introduced himself and went over basics for newbies. And as the first song began, I immediately perked up – lights turned off except for an illuminating stage to see the instructor and music that would lift the spirits of a million grumpy cats. An instructor never made me laugh so much in my life (never been called sexy by one either! But damn straight.)

What I liked best about the class was that the beat of the music matched the tempo you should be going – right, left, right, left – and the incorporation of upper body exercises. We were doing push ups half the time and we also whipped out 1, 2 or 3 lb weights for ultimate tone-nation.

I lied. The best part was the second to last song the instructor made us close our eyes. “Don’t forget the reason you came here. This class will transform your body, but also your mind. You can do anything you set your mind to. The first step to change is a small step – it’s admitting you’re powerless. Three years ago, I did that. And let me tell you, this addiction is a hell of a lot better than the one I once had. It’s never too late to change. Close your eyes. Nobody’s watching and nothing to see. This is your time.”

Holy crap – am I crying during a spinning class?

This class affected my life, at least enough to share my experience with you. I truly recommend experiencing it at least once. It’s not something easily affordable, but grab a friend and for $34, you will get more than a workout. You’ll get a dose of positivism and a spiritual awakening.

 

Cherry Poppin’ is a segment on my blog when I share my first-time experiences and give wisdom into it’s worth. 

 

Coconut Berry Wheatgrass

Today’s smoothie ingredients:

• 1 cup of orange flavored coconut water
• 1/4 cup of raspberries
• 1/4 cup of blueberries
• 1/4 cup of blackberries
• 5 large strawberries
• 2 cubes of frozen wheatgrass
• 1 large inner leaf romaine lettuce
• 3 ice cubes

Benefits:

• Coconut water: rich in dietary fiber, enzymes, vitamin C, minerals (such as magnesium and potassium) and amino acids
• Raspberries: can fight inflammatory conditions (such as arthritis and gout) in much the same way as aspirin and ibuprofen do
• Blueberries: have the highest levels of antioxidants in all fresh fruit.
• Blackberries: are a good source of vitamin K, offering 36% of the daily recommended amount of this nutrient used by the body for the clotting of blood and to aid the absorption of calcium
• Strawberries: contain the antioxidant ellagic acid, which protects the elastic fibers in our skin to prevent sagging
• Wheatgrass: wheatgrass juice contains up to 70% chlorophyll, which does wonders including neutralizes toxins in the body, purifies the liver and improves blood sugar issues
• Romaine: you’d be surprised to know that one head of romaine contains 6mg of iron, which is a significant source of iron to vegan diets

Nutritional information:

Calories: 143

Carbs: 34

Fat: 0

Protein: 2

Sodium: 37

Sugar: 27

Banana Oatmeal Cookies (2 Ingredients!)

There is nothing better than the days my roommate whips up her beloved two ingredient healthy cookies.

Vegan. Nut free. Gluten-free. DELISH.

And if  your down for customization, check out some options to make these low-cal cookies even more unbelievably scrumptious!

• chocolate chips, carob chips
• peanut/almond butter
• walnuts, almonds, pecans
• berries
• coconut flakes
• nutella
• butterscotch, caramel

Ingredients: (makes around 16 cookies)

• 2 large bananas
• 2 cups gluten free oats

Instructions:

1. preheat oven to 250 degrees
2. mash bananas in a large bowl until smooth
3. add in your oats
4. optional: include any toppings you may like
5. prepare baking sheet with nonstick spray
6. drop about a large tablespoon of the dough per cookie and flatten into cookie shape.
7. Bake in oven for 9-12 minutes, you’ll know the cookies are set when they hold a cookie form and turn a golden color.
8. remove from oven and allow to cool.

Enjoy these cookies over the span of a few days. Feel free to freeze or reheat them.

Nutritional Info:

Serving size: 1 cookie

Calories: 60 / Fat: .8g / Carbohydrates: 12.4g / Sugar: 2.1g / Fiber: 1.7g / Protein: 1.4g

Coconut Strawberry Mango

Today’s smoothie ingredients:

• 1 cup coconut water (Zico – natural)
• 1/2 cup frozen mango
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1 tsp ginger root

Benefits:

• Coconut water: extremely hydrating, high in electrolytes, contain cytokinins that protect cells from aging and cancer
• Mango: this smoothie thickener is rich in antioxidants which restrict the oxidation of cells in the body and helps aid digestion due to its high fiber content
• Strawberries: low in calories, eases inflammation
• Baby spinach: very high in vitamin K, A, C and folate
• Ginger: alleviates symptoms of gastrointestinal distress

Nutritional information:

Calories: 235

Carbs: 51

Fat: 1

Protein: 2

Sodium: 120

Sugar: 40

I see you, Corporate America

Photo by Brent Hofacker

America, I applaud you. In 2013, the U.S. of A is no longer the fattest kid on the international playground. This summer, a report by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization found that Mexico has surpassed the U.S. as the world’s fattest nation, beating our rate of adult obesity (31.8 percent) with a 32.8 percent.

Not saying we are in any place to start showing off our macho muscles, but with Americans paying closer attention to what they’re eating and drinking, food and beverage companies are quickly learning that certain unfamiliar additives on their packaging is inviting criticism from the public. Thanks to the web, people are shouting their concerns to the world. As a result, companies are quietly reformulating popular snacks to remove suspicious componenets.

Want an example? PepsiCo Inc. this year claimed it would stop useing brominated vegetable oil (huh? I was drinking what?) in Gatorade and find another more natural way to distribute the color in their sports drink.

With the Internet acting as a loud speaker, it is great to see people taking a stand for what goes into their bodies. My only concern is does this invite companies to become sneakier? They are already being devious by removing these additives in a way that seems like – POOF – they were never really there! My hopes are that while corporations are showing a genuine interest in the putting better ingredients in their products, we all colletively choose that apple or baby carrots instead of that unfortunate bag of baked potato lays (I mean really. Baked? You might as well at least enjoy your unhealthy snack by picking the Cheetos for goodness sake).