FASHION Magazine

The best part about participating in a month-long workout challenge is the motivation you gain. Before enrolling in Spynga’s Dare to Do 30, finding the time to exercise five or six times a week seemed impossible. Now I know that I can physically achieve this goal, and that finding the time is really just a matter of making it a priority. It’s the finer details that make Spynga stand out: the complimentary towels, the lavender-scented cream used for a quick neck massage during savasana, and the eclectic play list (a spin class blaring the best of the ’90s—or worst, as the case may be—was an obvious crowd pleaser).

Here’s my report on the other classes where I sweated it out:

I wish I could blame my recent gluttony on the holidays, but really I’ve never needed an excuse to overindulge in cookies. Needing the extra push to get back in line with a healthy routine, the Dare To Do 30 challenge at Toronto’s Spynga’s (spynga.com) seemed like the perfect fit. The four-week program includes unlimited yoga and spinning classes along with group meetings with Dr. David Macklin (drdavidmacklin.com) to address nutrition and lifestyle changes. Spynga offers a variety of classes, and I was excited to push myself back into shape with the studio’s unique approach to exercise. Here’s what I tried:

Our assistant fashion editor, Jordan Porter, embarked a one-month fitness frenzy at Get Spun. This is her final week!

Monday: I can’t believe I have made it (alive) to my final week! I swear I have seen my new gym friends more often than my boyfriend this past month, but with my waist whittling away and my bum and hips in haute condition I can’t say he is complaining. Today is an extreme functional training class, and my trainer Chris has me using the Bosu Balance ball, Gravity machine, TRX, and running footwork patterns fit for a tight end. A high-energy, super fun class that’s over before you know it…just my style.

Our assistant fashion editor, Jordan Porter, is on a one-month fitness frenzy at Get Spun. Check back every Friday for updates!

Monday: My butt is totally getting perkier and I am one happy camper. I’m feeling toned and confident and I’m now seeing the tough classes as a challenge, rather than torturous. It’s amazing what exercise can do for your state of mind. So today’s class was Extreme Functional Training, an hour workout that combines Gravity, TRX Suspension Training and Bosu Balance training. I’m like the nerdy fitness kid, totally giddy about all the new toys. The class, taught By Chris Cecile, who is so incredibly nice that you feel guilty not giving 110 per cent, is a super combo of balance, weight, and cardio training, and is one of the best all around workouts I have ever had.

Our assistant fashion editor, Jordan Porter, is on a one-month fitness frenzy at Get Spun. Check back every Friday for updates!

Monday: Gravity round two today and I have a new instructor who toughens up the workout by adjusting my incline even higher, forcing me to lift a greater percentage of my body weight. This function adds another checkmark to my “Why I love Gravity” column. The machine lets me continually challenge myself, and it’s good motivation for dialing down the body weight, although mathematically I’m not sure this makes any difference, but I’m not a math whiz by any means and hey, whatever works!

Our assistant fashion editor, Jordan Porter, is on a one-month fitness frenzy. Check back every Friday for updates!

Monday: Starting off the week with a spin class makes me happy–I’m actually an avid spinner and this means I won’t be out of the challenge on day one. Before the class, I almost feel a little guilty, like I’m somehow cheating. My guilt melts away, along with some serious calories, one song into the cycle. The 10-day cottage escape I just returned from, complete with bowls of mint chocolate chip ice cream and chili fries, has clearly had an effect and I am huffing and puffing and squeezing the sweat out of my workout gear. I’m beginning to get a little frightened for day two.

I read somewhere that a woman’s mental age is often much younger than her chronological age, and that no matter how many years go by it’s very possible for women to think and feel like they are still teenagers. This mindset is all well and good when I’m acting out the “Like a Prayer” video […]

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