It’s become somewhat of a tradition the past couple of years to welcome the New Year in another country and then spend day one of January making resolutions for the year to come. Last year, this happened on a whim at Claridge’s in London. This year, it was in Deep Cove, just outside of Vancouver, in a little bistro called Arm’s Reach.
The categories for our resolutions span travel, relationship, career, spiritual and of course, physical. Which brings me to the reason for this post – talking about my favorite workout at Body by Simone.
The studio focuses on dance, mixed with weights and trampoline, depending on the class. The instructors are all professional dancers but luckily, you don’t have to be. The signature class and my favorite one – dance cardio – teaches you around 5 different dance routines that you put together at the end for a personal music video moment. (Or at least that’s what I envision in my head when I’m dancing.)
When I joined the studio, I did the 8-week program – perfect for anyone who needs a fresh start. You get a personal consultation, take measurements and talk about diet. I purchased Simone’s cookbook for inspiration and the Almond Butter Chocolate Fudge satiated my sweet tooth. They’re made of Almond Butter, Agave, Unsweetened Cocoa, Vanilla and topped with Sea Salt. She even encourages cheat days. Balance, people, balance.
I immersed myself in the classes that outside of Dance Cardio include Full Body, Trampoline Cardio and HTB (Hips, Thighs and Buns). All include some form of dance cardio with varying levels of intensity. And the results … 3 inches in my waist, 1 ½ on each arm, 1 inch per thigh.
I’m not going to name drop, but more than a few celebs swear by Simone’s workouts and I’ve been in class with several A-listers. Studios are only in LA and NY, but she has an online subscription so you can keep in shape on the go. Perfect for jetsetters in small hotel rooms.
You bet I’m going to keep dancing my way into 2017. And eat more desserts, which ended up being one of my physical resolutions this year.