Hop Till You Drop

If you know me at all or have followed me on social media for 5 seconds you have probably heard or seen me mention StudioHop. 

Quick facts about StudioHop... StudioHop is a multi-studio membership where you get access to some of the best fitness studios around the city all at one monthly price. The membership is $135 a month, but if you use my promo code AnnieHop20 you get $20 off your first month! $115 a month is a steal for everything you get access to. 

StudioHop originated in Dallas, but is now in Fort Worth, Austin, Tulsa, New Orleans and yours truly OKC! OKC studios that participate in SH include Union Performance, Beyond Studios, Four Graces Pilates, Soul Yoga, This Land Yoga, Yoga at Tiffany's, Body Mind Yoga, Hidden Dragon Yoga, The Yoga Box, Yoga Bliss, Cycle 3 Sixty, Moxieride, Higher Ground Runner and Urban Row. Easily reserve your class through the SH app or online. 

Now why I love StudioHop... I've been doing StudioHop since February, and can't imagine working out with out. I'm a studio junkie. In a studio setting I find motivation having an instructor pushing me as well as getting to work alongside new or familiar faces who have the same goals. As compared to the intimidating solo act of maneuvering a gym.  

I'm also slightly ADD, so the ability to hop from one studio to the next, one workout to the next, day after day is ideal for me. Yoga one day, bootcamp the next, followed by pilates mid-week. Not only does this satisfying my spazziness, it's also great for your body. Studies have shown how changing up your workout creates results. You never want your body to get stagnant. Keep it working and challenged by changing up it's routine. 

My StudioHop favorites include Union Performance, (hi friends ^^), Beyond Studios (remember when #teamtakeabite took over?), Soul Yoga, Yoga at Tiffany's, The Yoga Box and Four Graces Pilates. StudioHop just released their survey for the "Best of 2017" awards. You bet I'm filling this out highlighting all my favorite classes and instructors! If you're a hopper, make sure to nominate your faves too! Chelsea's lunch class at Union Performance, any class Dallas teaches at Four Graces, the Reform & Run format class at Beyond, Stacy and Janelle's classes at Soul Yoga, the list goes on for all my favorites!

Because of StudioHop I am able to continue my practice of yoga, challenge my body at bootcamp and discover my love of pilates. I had never taken pilates until StudioHop and I'm not sure what took so long. Because of the access and luxury of being able to try so many different studios and workouts I was able to find this new workout (to me) and fall in love with it. 

A few things to note about StudioHop...the studios included are not dog friendly, despite Gabe's impressive downward dog ;) You are limited to 5 classes per studio per month. Another thing to mention, if you cancel a class within 12 hours of it's scheduled time you will be charged a $12 late cancel fee. If you don't show up it's $15. My tip** don't sign up until a few hours before a class to make sure you will be making it. In OKC we have the luxury of classes typically not booking up fully so you can afford to sign up closer to time. 

If you have any questions about StudioHop, please ask! I'm happy to share more about it and my experience. If there is class on SH you want to try, call/text/email/DM me and let's try it together! And last but not least don't forget to use my code AnnieHop20 for $20 off your first month!

p.s. shoutout to Farm Fresh Designs for my adorable Kale Workout tank! And to KGC Photography for all the pics. 

Annie

Why You Should Join StudioHop

photo cred KGC Photography

If you follow me anywhere on social media then you have probably seen me hopping around town taking full advantage of my new obsession StudioHop. What's StudioHop you ask? It's a monthly membership to the best of best fitness classes in the city. Say you like spin but love to get your flow on in a hot yoga class. Tired of paying for two memberships or drop-in classes here there and all over. Ya, me too. Welllll, now that StudioHop has touched down in OKC you can get all the benefits of different studios with only paying one price. SIGN. ME. UP. 

StudioHop hand selects their favorite studios so you know you are getting the best of the best. Take a look here, to see the studios Oklahoma City has to offer. In the past month I have been hopping back and forth from Beyond Studios to Soul Yoga and Union Performance to Yoga at Tiffany's. I love getting my cardio in at the Beyond 500 classes, but love nothing more than a 6am sweat sesh in hot yoga. Union Performance is new to me, but I try to fit in their bootcamp class at lunchtime for a mid day pick me up. My girl Chelsea gives you a full body workout that you will be feeling the next day! 

I read an article a few weeks ago about how switching up your workout routine is the ticket to start seeing results. In a study done on people performing the same exercise day in and day out, individuals bodies simply stopped responding. When they were then exposed to different exercises, their fitness only improved!

I had been in a rut lately of doing the same thing, barre mixed with moderate cardio. I enjoyed my workout regime and could go on about my love for barre workouts for hours, but it was getting a little boring as well as results become stagnant. My favorite part of StudioHop and the #1 reason why I think you should join, is the change! The ability to change up your workout everyday, every week. Spin on Monday followed by a hot yoga flow on Tuesday. Bootcamp Wednesday and pilates Thursday. Your body will love you for keeping it challenged and never getting settled into one form of exercise. The most economical way to make this changing routine happen is by joining StudioHop. One price, once a month, but instead of one workout class you get a multitude of different workout options! Join me, you won't regret it. 

Photo Cred KGC Photography

StudioHop offers a monthly unlimited package for $135 as well as a 4 class bundle and 8 class bundle package. More info about pricing can be found here. If you have any questions about how the packages work or what studios have limitations, you can get answers in their FAQ or feel free to ask me in the comments below!

StudioHop is like the gift that keeps on giving! And to keep the giving going, use my code anniehopokc in checkout to get $20 off your first month! This code can be used for class bundles or the monthly unlimited package. That means access to the best studios all about town for $115, WIN! (Hurry and sign up, code expires 3/6). Give StudioHop a follow on insta and a like on Facebook, and make sure to sign up for their newsletter (just scroll to the bottom of the page)!

Now, hop to it!

Annie

How to Drink More Water During Colder Months

I am a cold person. Always cold, always bringing a jacket, always asking people to turn the air off or roll the windows up in a car. I drive my car with the seat heaters on the second October hits. I love the cold weather, but I have to to face it with preparation otherwise I ain't digging it. 

Cold water is about the last thing I want to sip on when it's 40 degrees out. Although, it is equally important to stay hydrated in the winter as it is the hot summer months. Cold air dries out our skin and can dehydrate you. I read even if you aren't sweating water vapor can escape through your breath, leaving you dehydrated. Drinking water is great for your kidneys, maintaining your appetite, and flu and cold prevention. I've found a couple ways to help me stomach the H2O when the weather gets as cold as my ice water. 

1. You've probably read it before, but hot lemon water is such a good way to start your day. Not only is it detoxifying and great for your skin, it's the perfect warm drink to pull you out of bed on a cold morning. I go through 1- 2 lemons a week and just cut them into 1/8s and store them in a container in my fridge. Each morning, I wake up squeeze a lemon into a mug, add water and microwave it for 2 minutes. I frequently will do it throughout the day when I'm shivering over my computer and can't stomach a glass of cold water.

2. Seasonal flavored water. I love adding fruit or mint to my water in the summer. I often keep a big pitcher in my fridge and refill it through the week. Right now I'm doing the same but changing up my usual lemon, and cucumber to a combo of orange and cloves. I cup the oranges up in wedges, dot the slices with whole cloves and throw a few extra in as well. I love how my cup of water has this vague holiday taste to it! Makes it much easier to sip down when it gets me in the holiday spirit!

Drinking herbal teas is another way to stay hydrated when plain water just won't cut it! Any tips on how you stay hydrated in the winter? Please share so we can all #takeasip together!

Annie

Guest Post: How to Stay Healthy in Your Everyday Life

via Birdie

Today's post is full of knowledge on how to stay healthy and active in your daily life through exercise. The knowledge in this post is better than anything I could try to make up for you-keep reading to see why! Jennifer McGregor and her classmate are both pre-med students and created PublicHealthLibrary.org as part of a class project.  They enjoyed developing the website so much that they decided to keep it running and continue to develop it. They are hoping for the site to become a go-to health and wellness resource online. 

Make a Schedule and Stick to It
Busy work schedules and personal life make it difficult to exercise. The truth, however, is that it is easier to make excuses than it is to make a commitment to an exercise schedule. By making fitness a priority in your life, you will find that it is much easier to create a schedule for daily exercise and to stick to it. Sometimes simply penciling this into your regular schedule makes it become an automatic part of your day.

via free people blog

Become a Morning Person (#teammorning-AT)
Okay, so being a morning person may not fit into your current routine. In getting up earlier, committed to exercising, your morning workout will soon become part of your routine. You can get your workout off your to-do list first thing in the morning, and not have to worry about squeezing it in later in the day. People who exercise in the morning often say that it energizes them and enhances their mood. That’s a great trade-off for getting up earlier!

via barre3

Get Paid to Exercise
Money is a great motivator. If you think that making a little extra cash while exercising sounds like a good idea, there are several options available. One option is to become a dog walker and/or pet sitter. Not only do you get the benefit of hanging out with some awesome dogs, but you get paid to exercise in a fun way. Other great ways to work exercise into your day while getting paid include becoming a mail carrier, guiding walking tours in your area, teaching fitness classes, becoming a ski instructor, or volunteering as a coach or referee.

via birdie

Put Down Your Phone
You may be surprised by just how much time you spend on social media, e-mail, or playing games on your phone. If you put down your phone and devote that down time to working out instead of vegging out, you will soon find that exercising can easily become part of your daily life. When you’re done, hop back onto social media and tell the world about your physical conquests!

via 52 thursdays

Move Every Time You Have the Chance
It may not be as structured as thirty minutes on the treadmill, but moving every chance you get will help work physical activity into your day. For example, instead of sitting on the couch while you watch your favorite show, do some squats, pushups, or lunges while you watch. If you keep a jump rope or weights nearby, you may get even more motivated to be active in that down time. Other ways to get active during the day include running in place while cooking, doing squats while folding laundry, or doing pushups with your kids.

via free people blog

Practice High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a quick way to work exercise into your daily routine. When you choose an activity, put full effort into it for 10-20 seconds, and then follow with 40-50 seconds of recovery time. You’ll want to include a 5-10 minute warmup, followed by 10-15 rounds of the activity, and then 5-10 minute cool down. You’ll find that you are burning loads of calories in a short amount of time with HIIT.

via a cup of jo

Once you start to really look for the time in your day, you’ll find that there are several options for working exercise in. You don’t have to drive to the gym and take an hour-long class to get active and fit. Simply choose some of these suggestions, and you’ll find that exercise quickly becomes a normal part of your day.

Jennifer

Jennifer McGregor has wanted to be a doctor since she was little. Now, as a pre-med student, she’s well on her way to achieving that dream. She helped create PublicHealthLibrary.org with a friend as part of a class project. With it, she hopes to provide access to trustworthy health and medical resources. When Jennifer isn’t working on the site, you can usually find her hitting the books in the campus library or spending some downtime with her dog at the local park.

It is so important for me to stay active and healthy, especially as I translate back onto the working grind. I sit most hours of the day. Waking up early and getting in meaningful workouts (barre3, HITT or cardio) is super important to me. If I don't do it in the morning the chances are slim I'll be motivated to by the end of the day. I'm also on my phone/computer allllll day (life of a social media job), so taking those breaks to get up and stretch, focus on something else, and rest my eyes is more and more apparent. Thank you for your knowledge Jennifer and for contributing to Take A Bite!

Annie