Jess: When it comes to fitness, I actually have pretty good discipline, and have been hitting up the gym very consistently since my early college days. Even out of school and as a full-time working adult now, I still make it a priority to take a fitness class, run, or do some light weight lifting at least 5-6 times a week. Back when I lived in Brooklyn, I joined the local gym (no frills) and used the treadmills to get in my cardio when it was too cold to run outside. When I finally moved to Manhattan, I spent a lot of time running up to Central Park and along the East side of Manhattan when the weather warmed up, which has been a really nice change of pace. In addition to my normal gym membership at Blink fitness (continue reading below for more details about Blink), I started kickboxing before the summer began at Overthrow Boxing Club in Noho, and I absolutely LOVE IT! Between boxing and going to Pilates (Body Evolutions and Sal's Anthony Movement are my fave) classes with Classpass, I definitely feel a difference in my body and feel stronger than ever before. For those of you unfamiliar with Classpass, I highly recommend checking it out (click here to read all about how it works). It is basically a monthly membership that allows you to sign up for many different types of fitness classes in the city you choose, which is awesome for trying out different workouts to find which you enjoy the most. Membership prices vary depending on how many classes you choose per month, but you can start off with a free trial or discounted trial for your first two weeks.
For those of you wondering what my fitness routine is when I am traveling, I always try to make a conscious effort to hit the hotel gym at least a few times during the week, though I promise I don't restrict myself when it comes to yummy food! I really do think moderation is key, and you don't have to deprive yourself of things you want eat (because life is way too short for that). Considering how much I love exploring all the food that NYC loves to offer, I am happy that my love for working out supports my eating lifestyle (haha).
Mel: I'll be the first to admit that working out was never on the top of my priority list, but now that I am heading into my mid-twenties, I definitely see myself putting more of an effort when it comes to my health and my body. I spent the first couple of months this year deciding on what gym to join since my company offers employee discounts to Equinox and New York Sports Club for $130/month and $50/month, respectively. Ultimately I decided to join Jess and a couple of my other friends at Blink Fitness, which is a frills free gym owned by Equinox for $25/month. Blink has multiple locations in the New York area, but since I like to get my workout in immediately after work, I tend to always use their Wall Street location. I try to go about 3-4 times a week and focus on strengthening a different part of my body each time. Typically Mondays are for legs, Wednesdays are arms and backs, Fridays are for building my core, and over the weekend, I like to spend 30 minutes stretching and doing some yoga. While Blink certainly does not have Kiehl's products in the restrooms or free warmed towels waiting to be used, it does offer multiple floors of top of the line machines, free weights and medicine balls. For a gym newbie like me, it is a great place to start working out on your own and building up strength before making the commitment for a steeper monthly fee at a more upscale gym. Since Blink does not offer classes, I often spend half of my workouts in the stretching area using the Nike + Training Club app to create my own personal training plan and add a little structure to my daily workouts. My co-worker actually recommended the app and I absolutely love it since it offers over 160 free workouts across all levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced) and focus areas (mobility, strength, endurance) with each workout lasting as little as 8 minutes to as long as 47 minutes. Each workout has clips that show how each exercise should be performed, which is definitely a godsend if you are like me and don't know the difference between a Lateral Bear Crawl and a Dead Bug.
Outfit Details
Jess: Leggings - Lululemon, Sports Bra -Adidas, Sneakers - Adidas Mel: Top - Old Navy, Sports Bra - Old Navy, Leggings - Old Navy (Similar) (Similar Style - Lulu Lemon, Shoes - Nike
