What doesn't kill you makes you...

Last night I attended my first in a series of Barre Bee Fit courses on the road to a better me post-baby (I alluded to it here). For what it's worth, I was scared out of my mind to go, because let's all be very honest with one another here...baring your jiggles, wiggles and weaknesses in front of 20 other sweating strangers is the fastest way to board the insecurity train, and I'm the engineer. Group classes with hot and toned 20 somethings sporting Lululemon and tankinis? Not my jam. Sweating alone in shame in my basement? Sure.

I think that's a thing for most women--especially new moms. And it's something we should absolutely NOT be ashamed of, but rather empower one another to be stronger in both mind and body. So what if my body has a little more give and take here and there and everywhere? It's AMAZING, and has done amazing things for me.

And that's what was SO cool about the Barre Bee class, and why I think I'm hooked. I honestly didn't know what to expect going into those 60 minutes of doom (as I referred to them all day leading up to the class), but here's what I know now:

1. The facility - First and foremost, this is a VERY cool place to work out. It's a modern facility, and yet it feels so fancy. There are crystal chandeliers and I'm not even kidding! The locker room area is equipped nicely with a shower, changing stalls, free lockers (with keys you take into class with you!) and the mirrored sink area is even stocked with things you might need post-workout like hairspray, tampons, etc. These girls thought of everything! As for the workout space, it's state of the art. They use an iPad app to run/sync the lighting and music throughout the class and I overheard someone saying the floors are made of something that's used in Nike shoes, so it's soft and gentle on your joints (did I mention you do the workouts in socks? So fun!).
2. The staff - The girls at Barre Bee know what they're doing. After giving the newbies a tour of the facility, they geared us up for the class and things started right on time (always nice when that happens!). 
3. The class - I attended the Barre Bee class, which is considered "the original". As I mentioned before, there are 8 classes to choose from, providing a nice variety and also the opportunity to try new things, work new muscles, and not get bored with the "same ol'" workout routine. The Barre Bee class, in my opinion, was the perfect place to start, because it gave me a good feel of what to expect in other classes. We used a combination of resistance bands, hand weights, the barre and floor exercises during the 60 minute class, so no muscle group was left untouched. What I really enjoyed in this class was the combination of traditional things (like weights and cardio intervals) with resistance bands and stretching and strength on the barre. And boy, am I feeling it today!
4. The journey - I think this is the most important piece of living by the Barre Code. The Barre mentality is something I can get behind because it empowers and strengthens women to love their bodies and give back to it in thankfulness. Throughout the entire class, Lindsay, the instructor, was so positive with her words and inspiration to get everyone to always give a little more, to push themselves harder. And it wasn't done in a cheesy way--she really pushed us to the limits with accountability. What totally connected with me was when she said, "Your body does so much for you every day, this is your chance to give back and make it stronger and thank it for all it does."

That hit me right over the head like a 5 lb. kettlebell. I've never really thought of it that way because in many ways, I'm mostly happy with my body. Sure, there are places and things I'd love to change, but I love it and Joey loves it and that's really all that matters. But think about it: my body is AMAZING. (Yours is too!) Over the last 6 years, mine has carried 5 babies--three of which were miscarriages and two were delivered by C-Section. That's something, isn't it? I've labored over 24 consecutive hours. That's a LOT for a body to do! In addition, it has provided over 700 meals to my babies and carried them more miles than I could ever count. Its taken many falls (I'm a klutz!) and gotten up every single time...stronger, better.

I don't know what motivates you to work out and to push yourself to your limits, but the Barre Bee mentality worked on me in an instant, and I'm excited to be a part of it. Instead of being angry and dreading the pain and suffering of working out and sweating like I usually do, I spent those (very hard) 60 minutes thanking my body for all that it does for me by pushing it to the limits, and appreciating the time I had to reconnect with my own personal strength.I'm excited to see progress in the weeks to come, and I'll be sure to share it here!

I'm headed to another class on Saturday, and I'm really looking forward to it! More to come on my journey...