Free Parking Options Near Cyclelates - We provide 60 min Validation at Bed, Bath, & Beyond Garage

Hey guys!

A lot of clients have been asking so I hope this repost helps:) We provide 60 minute parking in the garage but if you are taking back to back classes and don't want to move your car, these options are for you!

So I scouted the streets today with Rico Sauve (Leader of all chihuahuas and owner of Spinlates) and we uncovered the following parking locations as alternates for those staying longer than one hour. All spots are no more that 2 blocks away from the studio:) Hope this helps!

2 Hour Parking -8am-6pm except Sunday Leland Way between Vine St/El Centro St (10am-1pm Monday Street Cleaning) TIP: No meters the closer you get to El Centro.

Free Street Parking - Delongpre Ave/Vine. Left side "Street cleaning 10am-1pm on Tuesday". Right Side" Street cleaning 10am-1pm on Monday".


2 Hour Parking with validation - Fedex/Kinkos and K&L Wine Store. Large lot. Make some copies or grab a bottle of wine after class. Validation is a stamp located at the desk inside each location.

Cyclelates - Why we do both to accelerate weight loss

Your body is composed of slow twitch and fast twitch cells. Aerobic activity (walking, less intense cardio. activates slow twitch cells while anaerobic activity (weight training, Pilate's, and cycling) activate fast twitch cells. If you exercise only aerobically you are not developing all of your muscle cells. Adding weight training in the form of Pilate's develops fast twitch muscle cells increasing your metabolism and helping you lose more weight.

Between the ages of 30-70 your fat free muscle mass declines about 40%. Muscle loss is thought to be the single most important reason you store more fat when you age. The loss of muscle and resulting metabolic slow down makes you gain fat. Remember each pound of muscle burns around 50 calories a day.

Fix your Cardio Workout

STATIONARY BIKE

Your Form
The mistake: The seat is too low or too high. A low seat fatigues the legs and stresses knees. Set it too high and your hips rock from side to side, which is inefficient.
The fix: Adjust the seat, people! Sit on the seat and place your heel in the middle of the pedal, where the ball of your foot would normally go. You want your leg fully extended, at the lowest point of the pedal rotation. By moving your foot to the correct position on the pedal, you'll have the right amount of bend.

Your Workout
The mistake: Cruising instead of charging.
The fix: Vary the intensity, with 2 to 3 minutes of high-cadence pedaling and a 3-minute recovery, then repeat for 15 minutes. Stand occasionally, which will add another dimension to your workout. Standing requires more muscle not only to push the pedals, but also to support and balance your body. Get to class and we will not allow you to make these mistakes:)

Source: Women's Health Magazine

Celebs Who do Pilates: Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus has been spotted leaving a Pilates studio 3 times a week. The perfect recipe to her toned body. Get to class to achieve her look:) Book classes today!

https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ASP/home.asp?studioid=16332

Tone your Inner Thighs through Pilates

Here are a few exercises you can do to tone your inner thighs:

o First, use the Pilates ring and place it in between your inner thighs while you're lying on the ground, knees bent.

o Tightly squeeze your legs together, pulsing the ring. Continue for 20 counts with your low abs engaged.

o Repeat this exercise with a small fitness ball. Then continue to do ab exercises, such as crunches, while squeezing the ball.

Go Greek!

Need a diet jump start? Recent British studies how that eating Greek yogurt helps dieters shed 12 pounds in three to four months. With toppings of almonds and blueberries, the yogurt is a great source of protein, the almonds are low on the glycemic index (they prevent blood sugar from spiking) and blueberries are a great source of heart-healthy antioxidants, They are a good carb to boot, providing plenty of energy!

Inflammation and Its Affects on Aging

by Lorna Sophocleous

My clients hungrily seek advice on how they can delay the aging process, or more optimistically, “age gracefully.” While trying endless “fountain of youth” products brings discouragement, it also opens up many possibilities and allows for a far more receptive approach to the lifestyle changes that are proven to decrease the risk of disease and inflammation. This can lead to a more vibrant and active life. My clients are extremely happy to learn that the assumption that with age comes disease is actually untrue. In fact, the reverse can be true.

Chronic disease actually accelerates the aging process—and the underlying cause of most disease is inflammation. This is relatively new and exciting information, as it gives you the opportunity to be in the driver’s seat in regards to your health. Cancer, diabetes, arthritis and other diseases don’t have to “just happen” due to age. This new phenomenon is known as “inflammaging.”

While modern medicine traditionally treats the symptoms with medications that can only temporarily relieve joint pain or lower cholesterol, preventative medicine focuses on identifying the root cause of the problem. Reducing the inflammation in the body can ward off debilitating diseases like arthritis, which is inflammation of the joints, or heart disease, which is inflammation of the arteries. Dr. Tanya Edwards, Director of the Center for Integrative Medicine, writes that inflammation is now recognized as the “underlying basis of a significant number of diseases.” Although inflammation has long been linked to allergic diseases like asthma, arthritis and Crohn’s disease, Edwards points out that Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and even Parkinson’s disease may all be related to chronic inflammation in the body. Digestive disorders, stress, severe unexplained fatigue, and headaches all have their roots in inflammation.

WHAT IS INFLAMMATION?
We recognize it on the surface as swelling, local redness, and pain. But inflammation also helps the body to heal by bringing nourishment to the affected area and stimulating immune activity. The problem arises when the inflammation persists. Researchers believe than an overactive immune system floods the body with defense cells and hormones that can damage the tissues. Dietary and environmental toxins may build up in the body and activate the immune system, also keeping it highly reactive. On the bright side, addressing the issue of toxins in our body can alleviate multiple symptoms and allow you to feel well quickly and permanently. This involves making small lifestyle changes, which include eating foods that are anti-inflammatory.

FOODS TO AVOID THAT PROMOTE INFLAMMATION
• Processed foods: We live in an industrialized society where many foods are mass produced and highly processed, which means they lack the nutrients that the foods had in their natural form. The nutrients to sustain good health, and avoid inflammation that will ultimately lead to premature aging and disease are missing. Simply put, “If it’s made in a plant, don’t eat it, if it is a plant, eat it!” Processed foods are toxic; this is compounded by the growth hormones given to animals and the pesticides sprayed on our fruits and vegetables. No wonder we are inflamed!
• Sugar: Sugar is also toxic, especially in large doses. It creates a gooey, sticky mess inside the body and clogs up hormone receptors. Over time, excess sugar in the body links up with proteins, causing tissue to harden. This can lead to arthritis and even contribute to premature wrinkling. Sugar can make you look and feel old. It gives you brain fog; your pancreas releases insulin to stabilize your sugar. The adrenals are overtaxed, which can cause insulin resistance or better known as Metabolic Syndrome, leading to Diabetes II.
• Certain oils: Olive oil does not have a high smoke point and is unstable under high heat, which causes inflammation. You also lose its health benefits. When cooking, it is best to use coconut oil, ghee, peanut oil, and toasted sesame oil. Be mindful that a majority of prepared foods, including restaurant food, uses canola, soy, corn, safflower, and vegetable oil, which are all highly processed oils and toxic. Fried foods in these oils create inflammation.

TIPS FOR AN ANTI-INFLAMMATORY LIFE, NATURALLY
• Avoid sugar. Eat things that have natural sugar in moderation. Sweeten things naturally with honey, molasses, Stevia, and date or coconut sugar.
• Avoid fried foods, refined carbohydrates and foods cooked in high temperatures.
• Use olive oil, hemp seed oil, sesame oil on salads and things without cooking them.
• Eat avocados, nuts and seeds for healthy fats.
• Omega 3’s are a must! Supplement from a high quality brand and eat wild salmon, sardines, which will also give you Vitamin D. Vitamin D should also be supplemented.
• If you smoke, quit now! It’s highly inflammatory.
• Eat organic fruits and vegetables.
• Maintain a healthy digestive system by incorporating fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir, kimchi.
• Drink plenty of filtered water
• Get plenty of exercise.

Healthy living is fun! You can empower yourself by treating food as a powerful “drug” and controlling what you consume. This will be conducive to a healing, glowing body inside and out. We all want to live healthy lives and avoid being on medication and going to the doctor. It absolutely can be done. Follow these guidelines, a step at a time. Your life will reflect back on your efforts in the way of increased energy and improved focus, mood and immune system. You will have a positive impact on your family, friends, and whoever you come in contact with. You are well worth the effort!

Source: Peak Pilates News

New Class Alert!!! Model Body with Rich Hill on Friday at 6:30pm

If you haven't been to a model body class, this is your chance to pump up before you enjoy your weekend! Developed by David Kimmerle, Model Body combines basic Weider principals on the Pilates reformer. Model Body will target core muscle groups each class giving you more muscle definition and get you closer to that model body we all dream of:) The new Friday night class will be lead by our newest addition Rich Hill. Rich just happens to be a fitness model as well and knows what it takes to push your current sexy body to the next level. Come check it out at 6:30pm and don't miss the Cycle Remix class right after!

A Tip on Resolutions by Devon Sasser - Lite Lessons #6

Devon will be documenting her experience as she goes through our body transformation package! Stay tuned for her results and story! Go Devon!!! This is her sixth "Lite Lesson"

Welcome back everyone. I hope everyone had a great holiday season and are in for a better 2012. It’s a new year, a clean slate, another opportunity to accomplish overlooked goals from 2011.

By now millions of people have made New Year’s resolutions, including myself. And I bet some people have already broken those resolutions. Again, I’m included. The problem with resolutions is that we try to make them in one grand swoop.

For example, one of your resolutions might be to stop smoking. By declaring, “I will quit smoking by the end of this year” involves a daunting task, which may seem impossible to even start. Already, this resolution has set you up for disappointments.

Yes, some people are “all or nothing” types, but the majority of us probably need some type of incentive, based steps to get us there. Therefore, instead of, “I will quit smoking by the end of this year”; state “I will cut down from 2 packs a day to one pack for an entire week”. Now the affirmation doesn’t seem so overwhelming. Focus on completing that first week. Once accomplished, pat yourself on the back, and adjust the “resolution” to go a step further. If you slip up, don’t beat yourself up; remember you can start over at any time.

I remember when I first started seeing a therapist for my depression, I felt so hopeless about my life. I had all of these “things” I wanted fixed, in order to be happy again. There were so many I literally could not concentrate or fathom the idea of making any of these changes.

The bottom line was that I just wanted to feel better. So before I left my therapist’s office, she made me decide on one small change that would make me feel better that week. I chose to drink 8 glasses of water a day.

Seems a little ridiculous, I know. Water would not magically give me a new job or a date with a guy, but it would keep me from feeling so sluggish, rid my headaches, and hopefully make me feel a little better. Once, I achieved this menial step I had the confidence to make another small change forward.

So grab those New Year’s resolution lists, and see if you can break them down into smaller steps. If one of those resolutions is to go to the gym, first start by packing your gym clothes the night before. Next, actually drive to the gym after work. You might find that once you park, you will want to go in. And besides, Cyclelates validates parking for one hour!

All I want for Christmas is two good knees…

Devon will be documenting her experience as she goes through our body transformation package! Stay tuned for her results and story! Go Devon!!! This is her fifth "Lite Lesson"

Progress Report: These pictures are of me in my old jeans. The inches are falling off! Thanks Cyclelate!

Down 4 pants sizes going on 5:)

LITE LESSONS:

I have completely torn my Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in my left knee two times to date. And the stories leading up to the injuries are worth mentioning.

As a teenager, I prided myself on being able to play backyard football with the big boys. So here I was proving that I was a worthy teammate (even for a girl), by going after my brother who had the ball. My left knee gave out, twisted, and my brother scored a touchdown. The embarrassing thing was that it was tag football not even tackle.

Treatment: complete repair of the ACL using part of my patellar tendon (the one located on the front of your kneecap).

The second tear happened in college. I reinjured the same knee trying out for cheerleading. It didn’t tear completely, but enough to keep me from making the squad. After that, I decided to hang up my pom poms for awhile.

Fast forward to senior year, my boyfriend of 3 years just broke up with me, and I was looking for some much needed cheering up. So where does a girl go to get this solace, you ask. Duh, a gay club on Bourbon Street.

The boys always tell you how pretty you look, all want to dance with you, and even encourage you to grab their behinds. Picture this, heart-broken me, showing my best, back-up dancer moves on top of a platform in New Orleans’ hottest gay bar. I leaped off to grab my amaretto sour, and…Bam, ended up on the floor with no drink in hand. My friends put me in a taxi, and I cried all the back to my dorm room, knowing I had torn it again.

Treatment: complete repair of the ACL using part of my hamstring.

Two surgeries, months of rehab, and frequent ice massages later, I shied away from most extreme sports and high impact activities. I did not want to add another surgery to the list, so I concentrated on strengthening my quads and low impact cardio. I tried my first spin class and loved that it was easy on my knees, without a lot of jarring. And on top of that, it was challenging and great heart-pumping workout.

I still have crappy knees with hardly any cartilage, but recently found that a combination of pilates and spinning is the perfect antidote. So maybe Santa will bring me a non-invasive procedure this holiday season; but until then, I will stick with taking classes at Cyclelates.

Fashion Fridays! Cute Top From Zara

This fashion find is from my bestie:) You can buy it now from any Zara store and it looks AMAZING on! Super flattering in all the right places to rock your new body from Cyclelates! Wear it with skinny jeans and boots or pair it with a gold sequin skirt+liquid legs+cute booties = perfect holiday outfit. Enjoy!

If you have a fav fashion find send it to info@myspinlates.com. We will feature cute styles every Friday. xo, B

TOESOXS: The hidden use:)

Not only are they super cute and provide MAD grip on the pilates reformer, I have discovered another amazing use for these bad boys! Wear these supa cute socks with your winter boots flat or high heel for max comfort. Especially in high heel boots the socks do not allow your foot to move back and forth providing a super comfy ride for you tootsies:) The nice grippers lock you foot in place and provide extra cushion with the grippers. I discovered this phenomenon this weekend when I wore my super sexy high heel boots with no pain:) Thanks Toesox! Helping me inside and out of the studio. Pick some up the next time you are in the studio. We have more colors and sizes behind the desk. Enjoy!

Other TOESOX Benefits:
Toe socks help spread your toes to strengthen foot muscles and increase blood circulation. Stronger feet improve posture and balance. Get healthy, happy feet in ToeSox, they're like exercise for your feet.
Wearing regular athletic socks draws the toes together, making them act as one unit. The purpose of the toes is to spread and anchor to the floor to help the body balance and stay aligned. By restricting this natural movement, you are inhibiting the body’s design and function. When toes spread, blood circulation increases and other muscles are activated. The human foot is a remarkably well-design instrument with 26 bones, 33 joints, 20 muscles, and hundreds of sensory receptors, tendons and ligaments.

The action of spreading the toes signals the shins, which signal the thighs, hips, and back. The smaller foot muscles, like the abductors, are commonly atrophied due to lack of use. When the toes spread out, these small muscles are used and strengthened, promoting foot health, cell renewal, and full-body support. ToeSox are exercise for your feet even while wearing shoes.

Replace your socks with toe socks to enhance your foot health and wellness.

Educated Bites Tip: Do you get Nauseous when Taking your Vitamins?

Do you get nauseous when taking your vitamins? I was talking to one of our body transformation clients yesterday and she mentioned struggling with the challenge of taking all the vitamins and supplements she needed every am. After trying several suggestions the best was take her vitamins with udo oils or omega oils. Not only is it wise to ingest these beneficial oils it also helps with the nauseating feeling you get when taking vitamins on an empty stomach. Some clients that get nauseous simply take their vitamins with a meal or at night but this option was not working for our client. With the addition of udo oils she is able to take her supplements without any nauseous feelings while getting the supa fab benefits below. Hope this helps others!

Benefits of Udo Oils:

Increase energy, performance, and stamina. EFAs enhance thermogenesis, help build muscle, prevent muscle break down, and speed recovery from fatigue;
Strengthen the immune system. EFAs make hormone-like eicosanoids that regulate immune and inflammatory responses. N-3s have anti-inflammatory effects and can slow autoimmune damage;
Lower most risk factors for cardiovascular disease. EFAs (especially n3s) lower abnormally high levels of blood pressure, triglycerides, Lp(a), fibrinogen, tendency to clot formation, and inflammation;
Improve brain function: mood, intelligence , behavior, and vision. Our brain is over 60% fat. EFAs are important components of the entire nervous system. They are necessary to make the neurotransmitter serotonin. Depression and other brain diseases show decreased levels of n-3;
Aid in weight reduction. EFAs help keep mood and energy up and suppress appetite, thereby aiding in weight loss. More recently, they have been found to block the genes that produce fat in the body (saturated and Trans Fat do not have this same effect) and increase thermogenesis;
Regulate organs and glands. Liver and kidneys, adrenal and thyroid glands, and the production of male and female hormones need EFAs;
Speed recovery and healing. EFAs are necessary for cell growth and division. They form all cell membranes and regulate vital cell activity;
Support healthy child development. For nervous system development, a growing fetus needs optimum EFAs from the mother's body. Mothers become depleted of EFAs during pregnancy, and need optimal EFA intake for their health and their children's optimum development;
Improve digestion. Poorly digested foods tie up the immune system and can cause gut inflammation, leaky gut, and allergies. N-3s improve gut integrity, and decrease inflammation and "leaky gut";
Decrease infection. EFAs have anti-fungal, anti-yeast, and anti-microbial properties, helping to protect against infections;
Keep bones strong. EFAs aid in the transport of minerals that keep bones and teeth strong, helping to prevent osteoporosis;
Protect genetic material. EFAs regulate gene expression, and n-3s inhibit tumor growth;
Ease PMS. Studies indicate that n-6 (GLA) intake was voted, by women, among the top three most effective PMS treatments. N-3s may be even more effective;
Produce beautiful skin, hair, and nails. Some of the first signs of EFA deficiency are dry, flaky skin, dull hair, and brittle nails. N-3s can help skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne. Also, GLA (n-6 derivative) administration is useful for some patients with atopic eczema.

Do you believe a “Suit” tells the truth? - Lite Lesson Week Four

Devon will be documenting her experience as she goes through our body transformation package! Stay tuned for her results and story! Go Devon!!! This is her fourth "Lite Lesson"

LITE LESSONS:

Suit – (ˈsüt ) noun: A set of matching outer garments, especially one consisting of a coat with trousers or a skirt. slang: proper noun for a business person —usually used in plural.

Being an accountant, I guess I would be considered a “Suit”. You know, the corporate type, in a more traditional business setting. But ask anyone that knows me, and that person can attest that I never stay a suit at any one job for more than 2-4 years. And with the search for a new opportunity, comes a need for a new suit (as in the garment, not the proper noun).

Looking over my resume, I can tell you exactly what suit I wore while interviewing for each job. Just like my multitude of job titles and responsibilities, my suits varied in different sizes. My very first interview suit was a simple black duo from Petite Sophisticate (remember that store?): the top was a size 2 petite and the skirt was a size 10 petite. For those of you who like to compare body shapes to fruit, I was a perfect pear.

Four years after that, my next suit was a 6 petite (jacket)/8 petite (pants). With each new interview, my suits had an upward trend; with my last interview suit being a size 18 for both jacket and skirt. Unfortunately, my body shape was now more like an apple (curves no longer as apparent).

With my new size and current job, I vowed that when and if I had a new interview, that suit would be smaller. Because this job has steady work hours and rarely any overtime, I am able to consistently workout. For those of you following my blog, you know that I have been dedicating myself to pilates and spinning at Cyclelates for about 6 months now.

My exercise efforts are more focused, and maybe I am more focused in my career direction too, because I realized I needed a change much earlier than in the past. Don’t get me wrong, I still like my organization and all the benefits (especially the work hours that provide time for a workout program), but I find myself wanting more. That being said, I began looking at internal job openings and was recently invited for an interview for a different position in another division.
I was excited for the opportunity but cringed at the fact that I was going to have to put on that size 18 suit for my interview this week. Just for comparison sakes and with no expectations, I thought I would give my 2008 suit a try. I stepped into the pants; all was well, clearing the knees and then slipping past the hips. So it was a little snug in the waist, but in my best Barney Stinson impression (from “How I Met Your Mother”), “This is going to be legen………wait for it…….…derriere’y!” It totally fit in the derriere, and I could conceal the slight pinched waist with the jacket. I had to look at the labels to remind myself of the size. Results - 12 petite jacket and 14 regular pants (hemmed of course). Morale of the story: This “Suit” doesn’t lie!

Fashion Fridays: Get the Look!

Every Friday I will share my favorite item or outfit of the week. Inspiration will come from many fashionistas and our own stylish clients. If you have a look you love or would like to share send tips to info@myspinlates.com. xo, B

We won't always focus on fitness fashion but since its all I have been wearing recently I wanted to share:) I received this amazing bday gift and I LOVE it! It could be the most cozy sweater I've acquired and it can transform into a cute winter vest:) Perfect for those snowboarding trips making you the cutest snow bunny on the mountain! Enjoy!

Scuba Hoodie with Detachable Sleeves: $148.00
Where to get it: http://shop.lululemon.com/home.jsp

Calorie Burning Tips - Hello Cyclelates!

CARDIO SPRINT PYRAMID
This adds sprint interval training for a fast and fun workout. Here, after each burst of hard work, you'll recover for the same amount of time.
How to do it:
•Warm up for 15 minutes, adding a few 20-second bursts at the end to prepare for the workout.
•Run, bike, or row: During the work periods, you should have a rate of preceived exertion (RPE of 8 to 10, followed by 30 seconds of active recovery.

Build and taper the workout like this:
30 seconds sprint/30 seconds recover
1 minute sprint/1 minute recover
2 minutes sprint/2 minutes recover
4 minutes sprint/4 minutes recover
2 minutes sprint/2 minutes recover
1 minute sprint/1 minute recover
30 seconds sprint/30 seconds recover

•Finish with a 10-minute cooldown.
Bonus benefit: This major calorie-burning interval training plan gives you the best of both worlds—high-octane cardio and muscle-sculpting sprints.

"Makes Me That Much Stronger" - Lite Lesson Week Three by Devon Sasser

Devon will be documenting her experience as she goes through our body transformation package! Stay tuned for her results and story! Go Devon!!! This is her third "Lite Lesson"

I was finally able to make it to the Model Body Workout that the studio offers at 8pm each Thursday. I have to admit I was a little nervous going in. I had no idea what to expect, except that David Kimmerle (my Guru) was the instructor for this class. For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure to meet him, he is one of the most dedicated, inspirational, people I have been introduced to while pursuing my fitness goals. He is hard core about fitness and training. To say I was intimidated was an understatement. I was really quite scared.

The class size was small, so I immediately knew I was not going to be able to hide in the back, so I might as well pick a reformer up front close to the mirror. At least this way, I can see the pain pouring from my body, Right? David explained that the class was centered on partnering with another person and we would provide added resistance to our “buddy’s” exercise and vice versa.

Everyone started with a quick warm up. By lying with our backsides down on the reformer carriage and placing the heels of our feet on the bar, we began moving up in down in a squatting movement. No problem, Adrian, often starts his classes out this way. One slight difference though, we had all of the resistance coils attached, and we were instructed to do 100 of these. Holy, immediate burning in the quads, and I was only halfway through! My sweat yield was definitely more than during my typical “warm up”.

Next we were paired with a partner. We were going to trade off performing exercises. I started first, and did 8 quick reps of squats again, and then my partner was supposed to push against me while doing the next set. I actually was stronger than I thought; because I almost pushed my partner, who coincidently was the studio owner, Bambi, over backwards on the first squat. Or maybe, I just caught her off guard (I think Bambi would agree to this last statement). Regardless, I couldn’t help but hum that Christina Aguilera song, “Fighter”, in my head while doing the remainder of the set.

The rest of the class continued to work in the partner setting and targeted different areas of the body (i.e. biceps, back, chest, etc.). Pretty soon we were doing a cool down, and I was soaked. Also to my surprise, my HR monitor displayed that I burned a really high amount of calories. Bonus! This class really was a total body workout, and I highly recommend it.

While driving home in my car, I found myself comparing the way I felt to when I use to train for competitive gymnastics when I was younger, or doing workouts during the summer as a high school cheerleader (yes, cheerleading is a sport). I realized I actually missed that feeling of knowing my body was capable of that type of stamina, and I wanted to feel it once again! Pretty soon, I was humming the “Fighter” song again, as I headed home, with a strong sense of accomplishment.

Devon Sasser resides in North Hollywood with her mother and fur roommates. She considers herself a recovering pessimist, and her favorite pastimes include cynicism, smart arse remarks, and telling funny stories.

Give the Gift of Fitness to your Family and Friends with These Great Offers!

PERFECT GIFT FOR GIRLS AND BOYS!

Hot Body Package - $70
Looking for the perfect gift this holiday season! Help your family and friends jump start their New Year's resolution with the Hot Body Package! Gift includes a gift card for 5 classes, one full body airbrush tan, and a pair of toesox all wrapped nicely together for your special someone. To purchase buy in studio or click the link below and select the HB PROMO when prompted what package you would like to purchase.

Private Session - $85
Prefer a more one on one setting? Book a private for your special someone with your favorite instructor for only $85.00. Sessions includes 55 minutes of instruction from the instructor of choice. To purchase buy in studio or click the link below and select Private $85 when prompted what package you would like to purchase.

Gift cards must be picked up in the studio or sent via e-certificate.

“Heartless Monitor” - Lite Lesson Week Two by Devon Sasser

Devon will be documenting her experience as she goes through our body transformation package! Stay tuned for her results and story! Go Devon!!! This is her second "Lite Lesson"

I have a love/hate relationship with my heart rate monitor. I love it because it helps me maximize my workout, but hate it, because it has been a rocky start tracking my results.

My Guru (aka David Kimmerle) wanted me to wear the monitor to see how many calories I burned. Being technologically challenged, it took a good week before I realized I was pushing the wrong buttons which deleted my entire workout results. The second week I got the buttons right, but my results seemed weird. For instance, an entire 45-50 minute spin class only averaged around 300 calories burned. That outcome could not be correct; Bambi promised me I would burn between 500-700 calories!
Next, I was suppose to monitor my results for a whole day’s worth of activity, so I positioned that uncomfortable chest strap under my bra and wore it for the entire day. My chest strap must have moved sometime that evening, because I noticed that the display read zero after 15 hrs, and I only burned 1827 calories. I was getting pretty frustrated at this point and dubbed the gadget a Heartless Monitor for all the grief it was causing me.
Take two resulted in 2338 calories over 16 ½ hrs including a 45 minute spin class. I thought “that looks better” and promptly told David my results. He informed me that he wanted my results for a 24 hr period. Okay, Okay, on my third attempt, the monitor produced 3448 calories burned within 23 hrs 30 minutes (30 mins off for a shower), which included two back to back workouts of pilates and spin.
“Gotcha” I shouted, this should be good, so I decided to take the next day off from exercise to compare calories burned with exercise and without exercise.
Results: 3045 calories burned; what? You mean to tell me that doing almost 2 hrs of spin and pilates classes only resulted in a difference of 400 calories burned? I cried to Bambi, and she assured me that those numbers couldn’t be correct. She fiddled with the adjustments, and even mentioned that I might want to look into investing in a new one.
Since then I have been doing a lot of research about heart rate monitors and training zones to determine how to achieve my goals.
I always heard that you burned a higher proportion of calories from fat during low-intensity exercise at longer periods of time. This concept never made sense to me. Shouldn’t calories burned at any intensity level still be calories burned? I finally found an article that agreed with me. According to this article the reality is that you do burn a higher proportion of calories from fat during low-intensity exercise...but, you burn more total calories during high-intensity exercise. So I was half right, regardless, I am concerned with total calories burned when it comes to my weight loss, not the percentage of fat or carbs used. Great, now, I just need to find a heart rate monitor that accurately tracks calories burned, so I am on a quest for an upgrade.
While researching, I have seen a lot of brands and models. It looks like Polar, Garmin, and Timex are among the most popular, but don’t count out other brands if they have the features on your “wish list”. All models come in what I call a Honda “Civic Model” and an “Accord Model” (one that is more basic, and one with a little more). Also, there are a lot more models in between and ones designed for particular sports training such as cycling, ironman training, and running. In addition, there are wireless devices where you don’t need a chest strap, not to mention, with the new smartphone craze, there are numerous apps that integrate the monitor with your phone.
I didn’t really want a wireless model; because everything I read said that a chest strap and wrist monitor are more accurate. But for all you tekkies, the apps are cool and help track all your information, results, and compare workouts with graphs, etc. right on your phone. The non-app devices also have the capability to do those things, but you have to upload the information into tracking software usually supplied from the company and track results online (i.e. polarpersonaltrainer.com).
So, have I found the perfect fit for myself and my training needs? The jury is still out but I do know I want the following in a device:
Nothing too top of the line, as I am not a professional athlete and some of the features would be underutilized.
It must show my heart rate ranges in zones 1-5 (1 being the easiest and 5 being maximum), since Cyclelates is trying to incorporate “Zone Training” into more of their rides.
The option to upload my information and track results. Hey, I am not a tekkie, but I am a math geek (accountant by day), so I like all the charts and graphs.
The option to be used as a stopwatch and possibly GPS enabled, which would be useful if I trained again for another race event.
And last but not least, it must be appealing and sporty looking. I am still a female after all.
I will definitely let you know when I pick the winner. And despite all the headaches in the beginning, it is a handy tool to have in order to take your workouts to the next level, so think about investing. Come on, this is Hollywood, CA; anyone who is anyone has one.

Devon Sasser resides in North Hollywood with her mother and fur roommates. She considers herself a recovering pessimist, and her favorite pastimes include cynicism, smart arse remarks, and telling funny stories.

HIIT Training in Spinlates Classes! Get your Cardio in Today!

Anyone can do 20 minutes of cardio! The great news is that's all you need! We will be implementing the HIIT method into your Cyclelates routine to blast major fat and give you the max calorie burn for the rest of the day.


A HIIT session consists of a warm up period of exercise, followed by six to ten repetitions of high intensity exercise, separated by medium intensity exercise, and ending with a period of cool down exercise. The high intensity exercise should be done at near maximum intensity. The medium exercise should be about 50% intensity. The number of repetitions and length of each depends on the exercise. The goal is to do at least six cycles, and to have the entire HIIT session last at least fifteen minutes and not more than twenty.

HIIT is considered to be an excellent way to maximize a workout that is limited on time.