Pure Barre North Raleigh

Two Meatballs: My Tumultuous Relationship…With Exercise

September 17, 2015health, fitness, beauty, motivation, plus size, make up, hair, hairstylist, oribe, bumble and bumble, MAC Cosmetics, comedy, Paleo, besties, best friends, meatballs, exercise, life change, lifestyles,bliss body yoga, finding what you love, fitness connection, healthy relationships, hi kelly, innovative fitness training, learning to love working out, no shoes no shirt sara's happy, Pure Barre North Raleigh, Sandra Axman, working out, workout hangoutstwomeatballsgetfit View all 2 comments

Besides food and men and everything else, exercise is a total roller coaster/glass case of emotion of a relationship for me. Until I saw the light, this is how I felt about people who were itty bitty with no effort!

After years of hoping and wishing and thinking and praying (#didyouseewhatIdidthere?!) that I would also somehow become one of those girls, I finally succumbed to the fact that effortless weight loss wasn’t going to happen for me, however even with this new found acceptance, for years this is how I felt about exercise and people who looooooved it!

This baby looks EXACTLY like my grandpa Apple by the by! I just didn’t understand the appeal. I certainly didn’t trust the people who talked about getting up at 5 every morning to go to bootcamp, or had to miss going out for drinks because they had a Body Pump class after work!? And don’t EVEN get me started about your friends wanting to tell every detail of their killer workout…

I was already sweating from simply existing in my 356 pound 5’4 body…why on earth would I want to do anything more strenuous than just sitting…or partying, isn’t that a workout?!

I mean, that is a squat and a curl as far as I’m concerned!

As social media and Pinterest really started taking off and I saw everyones training schedules and motivational workouts, Couch to 5k challenges and how to workout just using your own body…I felt like this would be a better plan for me.

And for years it was. When I was 24 my bestie Katie and I joined a gym, got a trainer and got serious about getting skinny. We would workout so hard during the week and eat so good, whatever fad diet or calorie restrictor, low fat craze was happening we were all about it and for us it was Smash the Fat and it was really working. Then we would go get hammered every single weekend and eat whatever we wanted. The idea of a lifestyle change wasn’t really in our plan and ultimately, after losing 70 pounds I said later girlllll to the gym….annnnd Smash the Fat. Before that I had dabble with Curves, I even saw another trainer for awhile. I joined my dads gym that was close to his work, but it was crazy inconvenient. Nothing ever really stuck and I would always just get very stuck in a routine that would end up totally boring me. It is fair to say that moving my body was NOT a priority and I gained back all the weight plus so much more. This was my idea of fitness and nutrition after I said fuck it.

But you guyyyyyyyys!!!! (this is Sara btwwwwwww’s) Everything has changed. I really understand that lifestyle change concept now and I wouldn’t say that I love working out, but that’s ok! Like any relationship, there are ups and downs, but me and working out see eye to eye a lot more now. I don’t have to love it every time, simply have to go!!! And honestly, I do really love the way it makes me feel. Even when I struggle with food, working out and moving my body has become the constant, the stable relationship if you. Also, I’ve learned what makes me happy and motivated to workout. 1. I love group fitness, I want the community experience, you know I love a team. 2. I love being told what to do (this is the only time I like being told what to do!!!) I show up, listen, do and it’s over! 3. I love not having to wear shoes…Pure Barre I get wear these adorable socks…

And in yoga I get to free ball!!!

I literally feel so free!!! And between Sandra, Pure Barre and Bliss Body, I’m getting all my happy/healthy needs met #healthyrelationship! With Sandy it’s my one guaranteed workout with my best friend and I get at least one really high intensity workout a week which is always different! This week was nutty! Slam balls planks and rowing! Oh my!!! #sarathatbuttistoohigh

With Pure Barre, I get a lower impact workout that really focuses on core and small, controlled movments, the music is loud and its just so different…plus no shoes and a great community!

And with Yoga, I have found a new level of connectedness with myself and those around me…

And this week I got all three in. Since I don’t drink anymore and I can eat exactly nothing right now, which knocks out going out to eat (although I did make it out to Kristi’s bachelorette party this weekend!!! So fun, congrats Kessie!!!

So great to see everyone outside of work)

…workouts have become my new hang out! I mean somebody look at all the fun we’re having!

Kelly came to yoga with me, I met the whole damn fam at the gym and me and Laur went to PB!!! And you’re not even going to believe what else…I have joined a challenge!!! Who am I!? Pure Barre is challenging everyone to do 10, 20 or 30 classes in September

and as of right now, I have crossed off 4 out of 10 classes…wahoo!!!

I have become the person I used to mistrust. I am blogging about fitness, taking part in physical challenges, getting up at 5am for classes and boring people (my dad) with every gory detail of my workouts. And you know what, it feels famazing and so do I. If you ever question whether you can do something or not, just know that you absolutely can, you just have to get started and find what you love. If this girl whose old motto was this…

and who still feels like this…

Can do this…

You can do anything!

Find your fitness home and make yourself a priority. This has become a great healthy relationship for me and I know it can for you. Xo

Two Meatballs: Om My Gah Yogaaaaaays!

August 25, 2015health, fitness, beauty, motivation, plus size, make up, hair, hairstylist, oribe, bumble and bumble, MAC Cosmetics, comedy, Paleo, besties, best friends, meatballs, exercise, life change, lifestyles,AIP, Bath and Beyond, Bed, Beginners yoga series, bliss body yoga, cooking at home, elimination diet, food allergies, hi kelly, isn't the title hilarious!?!, limited options, Pure Barre North Raleigh, smoothies, Sun Salutations, target, Trader Joe's, whole foods, workout friendstwomeatballsgetfit View all 7 comments

Well hello everyone!!! This is your pal Sara and I have to say, I am feeling better than I have in a really long time. I’m eating healthy and moving my body again. My mind feels calmer. I feel present and inside of my own body instead of my own head. I feel powerful and calm and excited to moved forward with all the things I’m learning in therapy and all my other endeavors! In the spirit of change and new beginnings, this weekend started my Yoga Beginners Series at Bliss Body Yoga…you’re not even going to believe this!!! I loooooooooooooooooved it. It was everything. What an enlightening experience. I had such a calm feeling driving there. Not many things make me nervous, but doing new group exercise things are usually a nail biter for me. But the night before I fell right to sleep, woke up on time, got dressed, had a green tea and headed out. My drive there was so peaceful, windows down and I wasn’t nervous…like at all!!!! I pulled up, walked in and was greeted by our instructor, Nancy, the cutest cutie. This place is gorgeous.

A tiny voice in my head said , pick a spot in the back. But I’m a front row girl, so I shook that thought away and sat front and center next to my new friend Jo!

By the time 11:15 rolled around, the room was comfortably full. Nancy welcomed us, introduced herself and told us a little about her. Then we went around the room and said our name, what our previous yoga experience was and what we would like to gain from class. It was so nice to feel a sense of community before we got started and by the end of intros it was clear that everyone was kind of on the same page…wanting to learn the basics so as not to feel so lost, gain strength, flexibility and relief from our stressful lives. We started with Savasana or corpse pose, which lets you focus on breathing. It was like a peaceful nap. Then we slowly progressed into a series called Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation which included table to cat to cow to childs pose. We went over lots of body posture points and ways to modify as your body gets used to the stretch. Then we went over how to distribute weight in your hands and feet for downward dog!

Then we walked to the front of our mat and did a very powerful stance. Hinged at the waist, into downward dog, then into a plank to cobra to downward dog I think, then back to standing and hands to heart. It was a lot of information but it felt nice and I loved the repetition of it. To finish up we did Savasana one more time and she came by and misted a lovely smelling mixture over us. Before you knew it an hour and fifteen minutes had flown by. I ran into one of Kelsey and Alleys clients before we left…such a small world!!! I have to say, I absolutely loved this. I love Nancy, I loved Bliss Body Yoga, I loved our group and most of all I loved the way I felt when I left. I don’t know if I’ve ever been this relaxed after exercising.

I just cannot wait to go back!!! Thanks Nancy!!!! Xoxo It even made me confident enough to go back to Pure Barre. I woke up Sunday morning and found myself in Jenny’s cousins class, Ariel!!! And it was serious. I was welcomed back literally with open arms. You really get to know people in this intimate setting! My pal Brooke was there and then some PB friends, Camille and Karen.

Ariel is the living sweetest, but once that mic went on, it was business time…my butttttttttt!!! It aches in the best way. This weekend I also went home and health shopping…

I got a tea kettle for my new tea obsession, some mason jars for juicing, a better knife, meat thermometer, some dish towels, yoga blocks, a pill caddy to keep all of my elimination diet supplements organized!!!! I had a Bed, Bath and Beyond gift card from my lovely client who moved to Ireland, Mary and I finally joyfully spent it! Thanks Mary!

Since I’ve started the elimination food plan to see if I have food allergies, I’ve already noticed that I have sensitivities to cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Nothing major, but it was for sure harder to breathe after i ate them! Imagine how great I’m going to feel getting rid of the things that make me feel bad!?!? It feels so nice to be cooking again and in charge of my nutrition. I’m not sure how I get so far from center but now that I’m feeling a little better, it actually is fun to meal plan, grocery shop and cook. I’m trying to think of just two days at a time, so I don’t over plan and get stressed out. Also, it leaves room for creativity and what I’m actually craving…which lately is MUSHROOMS!!! Lately I can’t get enough!

I love knowing that I have healthy things in my house to nourish and heal my body. There are so few things i can eat on this list and brown rice and quinoa are two of the items, so I have embraced the grain for the next 30 days. This weekend I made a mushroom, onion, garlic, leek gravy with oregano pan roasted chicken and tossed the whole thing with brown rice.

I also roasted zucchini, squash and onions and added it to the mix. It was so good and satisfying! I also experimented with some smoothies. I cant eat bananas which is a smoothie staple for me! So I mixed spinach, unsweetened coconut milk, blueberries, mango, pineapple and fresh squeezed lime juice….um delish! I also made a PBJish type smoothie with spinach, unsweetened coconut milk, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and cashew butter. Jenny tried it and said it was bland!!! It so funny when you are so restricted how different things taste…I thought it was decadent! Haha. You guyyyyyyys. I Feel so flipping good!!!! I’ve have learned so much about myself. I tend to put all my happiness eggs in to my health basket. I’m trying to change that so it isn’t so devastating when I don’t feel well. So now I’m just focusing on positivity and celebrating when I feel great. Thanks to all of you and if you aren’t doing yoga or have some form of peaceful meditation in your life, I can’t say enough wonderful things about it!!! Love you all like woah! Namaste. Ps: Y’all, this is our 302nd post!!! It has been so crazy lately I missed the 300th, but what a ride this has been. We are so grateful to every single person who reads our story. Xo time a milly.

Two Meatballs: This Barre is Purrrrrrrre and Our Third Meatball!

June 17, 2015health, fitness, beauty, motivation, plus size, make up, hair, hairstylist, oribe, bumble and bumble, MAC Cosmetics, comedy, Paleo, besties, best friends, meatballs, exercise, life change, lifestyles,blasts from the pasts!, Coquette, dates galore, education, inspiration, Katie Manselle, love, luxury brand partners, MonifC, no shoes, outside of my comfort zone, Pure Barre North Raleigh, R+CO, randcohair, Reuben Carranza, salon family, samuel cole salon, sharing is caring, so much air humping, sticky socks, support, Third Meatball, Trying new things, v76, Zesttwomeatballsgetfit View all 4 comments

You guys (this is Sara)…I have found my exercise spirit animal, and it is Pure Barre North Raleigh.

I have been having the hardest time getting myself motivated to work out again! My stylist and buddy Natalie was doing my hair the other day and telling me the key to life is getting up at 5am and going to workout at a class and getting it done…having the rest of the day ahead of you. At the time it sounded like crazy talk! This is Sara from the future…Natalie!!! You were so right! #lifechanger

The girls at Samuel Cole Salon have been going to classes and Pure Barre specifially forever and I finally got begrudgingly persuaded into going. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this but classes were my worst nightmare. I found the thought of them soooo incredibly intimidating! I talked myself into a tizzy over this last year of fitness and wellness that classes weren’t for me. They were for experienced, fit girls.

I convinced myself the instructors would yell at you and I would fall or cry or break my leg and knock myself out and lose all my front teeth or fly off an exercise ball and take out a row of old ladies!?! What a silly girl I am. So when Sandra had to unexpectedly leave town just as I was getting my healthy groove back AND Jenny was out of town for the Bee Wedding I had several realizations. #1 I am completely dependent on Sandra! It is such an amazing and challenging workout and I was in such a bad place for so long that I convinced myself that the once a week with her was enough. So when I got my shit back together I decided to start seeing Sandra twice a week #accountabilityiskey We made it through one week before she had a family emergency. #loveyouandyourfamilysandy I was feeling so connected again, I had to find a way to keep going! #2 I need a buddy, I am codependent as hell! #3 I hate wearing shoes…especially sneakers. #4 The world has a wonderful way of presenting you exactly what you need, exactly when you need it.

So reality came crashing down that I would be solo in the exercise game last week and I thought, Sara you better steel yourself up for this! Lauren, my next door neighbor at work and the love of my life,

said you should try Pure Barre. I’ll help you sign up! She walked me to the computer, we found a time together and it was a 6am class last Wednesday. Everything felt very fate. I worried about waking up, being on time, would I die…all the normal stuff! But we got there and Grogan was there too!!! I was feeling the love and support and it helped me feel comfortable and excited! Claire was our teacher and it was go go go from word go!

After lots of air humping, pulsing, bending and lets of tiny, controlled movements and music blasting, an hour flew by! Claire was so nice and encouraging and helped me understand how to do things!

An hour flew by and I survived! Grogan really pushed me to sign up for an unlimited month! So I did and she helped me download the app and I started signing up for so many classes. They have a 40 classes in 60 days and I want to see if I can do it! So, Grogan and I went back on Friday…at 6am! Today we had Kim! She was so challenging and supportive!

Haaaa!!! Look at that couch love! Her class was an ass kicker for sure! Then I did something I NEVER thought I would do…I went by myself on Sunday and met the sweetest, most lovely little Paige!

She gave me tips on how to do some things that I can’t physically do yet differently so I still get a good workout…I love modifications! I set myself up and everything and survived solo workouts!

Then I made it to number 4…reunited with Grogan on Monday!

So early, so ugly! Today was with Christina! She had a great energy and again was super encouraging!

You guyyyys!!!! I’m in love with this place and this lifestyle! Getting up early and going to bed early feels great. I have no idea what I’m doing, but I’m doing something, it’s booked, it’s in my calendar, and I don’t have to wear shoes!!!!!!!!!! I already feel better in my adorable new bathing suits from MonifC! I love this one piece and fringe fatkini!

I was oh so wrong about classes. The instructors have been amazing, this class style is so challenging and different. They are small classes and everyone is friendly. It’s so hard you don’t have the energy to see what everyone else is doing. And the warm up is the same. So the first day I felt like I couldn’t do anything and now I already feel like I am more capable…how motivating is that!? To the girls at work…I love you guys so much I could cry. Thank you for the support and encouragement and the glowing positivity! I really needed you and y’all were at the right place in the right time in my life!Love times a milly. Second, thank you Pure Barre North Raleigh…this has been life changing and such a happy edition to my life!!! Thank you to every single instructor and I can’t wait to meet everyone and for us to all fall in love. My goals is to hit 40 classes and to be able to eventual plank on my toes! Love isn’t a strong enough word! Sign up today, conquer your fears…its feels incredible! Here is some closing PB inspiration!

In other news I went on a thousand dates while my meatball was gone! My bff’er K Tizzle came to town and we Zested it up!

#alltheangles

Then I reconnected with my old partner in crime Lauren! We hadn’t seen each other in ages and I was giddy and nervous for our date…hahah!!! Lauren is the living embodiment of adorable

and down for anything! WE met at Coquette and I had the duck…it was gross.

We laughed and caught up on everything…i love reminiscing!

I literally didn’t want the night to end…Love you Lauren, can’t wait to do it again!

On the work front… my adorable sister and her kids came in to the salon!

We got the hot new summer products in from Oribe…could not be more obsessed!

This showed up in my Facebook time hop thing!

This was from Oribe’s La Fama in Miami 2 years ago…this was very motivating! Love these people!

Then a super inspiring stylist, Katie Manselle started at the salon! This woman is incredibly talented and such a gem! I love our growing family!

And finally…my meatball came home and we have been bonding our asses off! We are finally both in the same place in so many ways in the longest time!

Then, the cherry on the paleo PIE (get it Reuben?! winky face)…Reuben Carranza, President at Luxury Brand Partners and Group President of R+Co and v76 came back to the salon on Monday to give us all an inspiring class on branding! Reuben is the self proclaimed third meatball and we wouldn’t have it any other way. You may remember him from such posts last year as Two Meatballs: Is There a Cloud 10?!?!? We fell in love with this mogul from moment one…I mean look at us!?

I came in early to help set up for class

and when we saw each other it felt like a slow mo run in the airport! Reuben has a glow to him, a calm energy and a power! He is enigmatic and so engaging.

He looked great and said that he had started his own journey to health and lost 25 pounds since we last saw one another. Wahoooooo! This powerful, pop culture loving and busy man has been so supportive of this meatball adventure and we are so grateful and humbled! #lbpfamily He reached out to us today!

Haaaaa!!! But class and I’m guessing that you are sensing a theme with this post…was so inspiring and thought provoking and relevant and buzzy with good vibes and hilarious imagery!

Look at this man go!

I learned so much about how to remove myself from negativity and exploring what my reputation is! Reuben, I literally can’t wait to see you again in Miami. You are a treasure and we are so lucky to know you.

I feel like the universe has come together to put all the right people and support in place to help Jenny and I find the way again. And you guys, we are so thankful for each and every one of you who help us along the way. We will pay it forward. We love you all. I’ll be at the beach next week and then we will see y’all at weigh in! XOXO, I miss you guys already!