8 Week Weight Loss Program - FAQ's

On January 13th, we are launching our first session of the Spinning 8 Week Weight Loss Program, so I thought it would make sense to break it down for you.  If you were thinking about making a New Year's Resolution for weight loss or to better your health, this is a great way to get there!

What is it?
It is a weight loss plan that you can live with, not a diet.
We combine exercise, eating right and developing healthy lifestyle choices to get you to reach your goals.

What do I get when I sign up?
A step-by-step manual, heart rate charts, recipes, nutrition information, a food shopping list, daily log book and motivating advice.
Weekly emails from Angela to keep you on track and motivated.
Weekly Endurance Rides - Sunday at 11:15am for 8 weeks.
Fitness Assessments to measure your progress (privately).
Weekly meetings where you will get coaching and motivation from the group and the program leader.
An online forum where you can share your experiences, ask questions and read success stories.

How much is it?
$149 if you sign up before 12/31/12, $159 if you sign up after that date.

Can't I just buy the manual and do it myself without a coach or the group?
Sure, but I promise you, you will not see the results you are expecting if you try this on your own.  Our instructors have been trained and certified to help you reach your goals and want to motivate you along every step of the way.

How much exercise is expected?
Spinning recommends that you ride in the Endurance Energy Zone 3 times a week along with 2 hours per week of strength and resistance training.  1 ride is included per week with the program (Sunday at 11:15am) and each of our instructors will be assigned an endurance ride once a week to make sure you can fit them in.  Spin Fit, Powerhouse  and Yoga all count towards the strength and resistance workouts.  It is only 5 hours out of 168 that you have in a week - we can do this!

Spaces are limited, so if you were considering signing up, now is the time.  Why wait another day to be a little healthier and happier?  YOU deserve it!  Email Angela at saratogacyclingstudio@gmail.com for more details and to sign up.

We Launched our Retail Line!

Happy Holiday's Psycho's!  One of the many reasons that Jerry and I wanted to open our own Spinning studio was because we saw so many opportunities for success that were being ignored by other managers or owners.  Since the day we opened, folks have been begging us for SCS apparel.  We are finally able to produce great products, using a local print shop to help us out. 

If you go to our Mindbody site, click on "Online Store" and you can see all of the different retail items we are now selling.  Many items come in different colors which you can choose once you click on the product.  They also come in various sizes to suit everyone and most feature wicking technology to keep you looking good and staying cool while pedaling away.

To make it even more convenient, you can make your purchase online and then pick it up in the studio!  All you need to do is print up your receipt and bring it into your next class to pick up your new SCS gear.

Since this is our first "batch", quantities are a bit limited, so make your selections while you still can!

Here are some songs that have been making me smile lately:

I'm Not Alone - Calvin Harris
Scream & Shout - Wil.I.Am & Britney Spears
Set it on Fire - My Darkest Days
River - Civil Twilight
Desire - U2

Holiday News and Tunes

Hello psycho's!  I really owe you all an apology for not keeping up with this blog as much as I should.  I am not one to make excuses, so I will just try to be on here more often.

The holiday season is upon us and it is a very nice surprise that we have had so many folks in the studio.  From my past experience, this is the sloooooooowest time for a gym or fitness facility because everyone gets so busy and fitness sometimes is at the bottom of the "to do" list.  Thank you for your continued loyalty and dedication to the Saratoga Cycling Studio!. 

As we continue to grow and expand, I will do my best to keep you updated. 

December/January Events:
12/12/12 - Diane starts teaching 5:30am Spinning.
12/13/12 - Lyndsay starts teaching 4:30pm Spinning.
12/24/12 - Christmas Eve Spin with Jerry at 9:15 and Angela at 10:30.
12/25/12 - CLOSED.  MERRY CHRISTMAS!
12/28/12 - Happy Hour Spin is back! 6pm with Jerry & Angela
12/31/12 - New Year's Eve Spinning with Jerry at 9:15, Powerhouse with Brie at 10:30am.
1/1/13 - New Year's Day Spinning with Sarah and Diane at 10am.
1/4/13 - 5:30am Spinning with Rebecca (was scheduled at 6am).
1/5/13 - Begin to Spin at 10:30am, FREE for first time SCS clients.
1/13/13 - 8 Week Weight Loss Program Begins.
1/16/12 - 6:45pm Powerhouse Spin with Gail begins.
1/17/12 - 6pm Powerhouse with Gail followed by YOGA at 7pm with Gail.

Gift certificates are still available online or in the studio (with Angela).   When you spend $100, you get a FREE tote bag!

Happy Holidays!

News and Tunes

Everyday when I roll out of bed, the very first thought that pops into my head is how fortunate I am, for many reasons.  I am truly living my dream each day, thanks to loyal clients, friends and family around me.  Most of all, I am thankful to my husband who believed in me and my passion for Spinning to help me open this new business.  The phrase that pushed me past my fears: "with no risk, there is no reward". 

With that being said, we are into our 6 month of business (woohoo!) and while we are trying to have a consistent schedule, we are making little tweaks to better accommodate our clients.  Each month we welcome more and more people and far exceed our expectations.  Thank you!

Here are some minor changes that you might make note of:

Sunday, 10am Powerhouse Spin is now taught by Angela

            Sunday, 4:30pm with Sarah is now Spinning (goodbye Spin Fusion)
            Thursday, 6:00pm with Gail is Powerhouse Spin (goodbye Barre)
            Begin to Spin is now once a month and FREE to first time SCS clients.  Tell your friends,     family and coworkers!
            FREE class on 11/14, 4:15pm to support Lyndsay during her instructor audition.  Sign up online.
            RACE DAY, 11/28, 5:30pm

Race Day is your chance to test yourself; to put everything you’ve learned through all those weeks of training on the table. Are you up for the challenge?
The Race Day Energy Zone is a celebration, an opportunity to apply the consistent training you’ve been practicing in the studio to a peak performance effort. This means that you should take every measure to ensure that you are both physically and mentally ready for such a challenge when the day comes. The RDEZ is not to be taken lightly; it requires complete focus, dedication and undeniable desire.
A Race Day ride can help you effectively measure and quantify your goal setting as it relates to
your Spinning or cycling training plan.

We also have some great Thanksgiving holiday rides planned that are ready for your reservation!
            
             Thanksgiving, 8am Spinning
             Thanksgiving, 9am Spinning - FULL            
             Black Friday, 8:15 Spinning
             Black Friday, 9:30 Spin Fit

We will be offering discounts for the month of December and some giveaways on Black Friday!!  Stop on by after your shopping.

Follow us on facebook for more updates and news!

Some music I have been loving lately:

Global Concepts, Robert DeLong
Hall of Fame, Will.i.am
Save the World, Swedish House Mafia
Black White and Blue, Ladyhawke
R.I.P., Rita Ora
Summerlong, Xylos

I am on Spotify where you can view all of my playlists.

We are Six Months Old!

November 1st will mark our sixth month of being open!  If you have been in our studio, you may have noticed that we are packing the house most of the time.  We are so glad that we have added those extra bikes!  Thanks to you, the Saratoga Cycling Studio is the premiere place for indoor cycling in Saratoga Springs. 

As we continue on our journey of wellness with you, we will be tweaking our schedule to better accommodate your needs.  These are only very minor changes, but we are hoping that you will like what you see.  With lots of great survey results, we  were able to listen to your needs and plan accordingly.

• Barre Strength and Conditioning will be coming to an end, with the last class scheduled on November 1st. 
• We would love your feedback as to when you would like Gail's Powerhouse Spin on Thursday evenings.  She is available from 5:30pm all the way up to 7:00pm, so please let us know!
• Spin Fusion on Sunday afternoons is now (beginning November 11th) a 60 minute Spinning class (4:30pm). 
• Here is a link to our schedule so you can plan out your month:  saratogacyclingstudio.com

Some special events to keep in mind:

Ride to Recovery Charity Ride - 11/3, 7am or 8am.  Spinningnation.org to sign up. 
Thanksgiving Ride - 11/22, 9am FULL.  If we get lots of you on the waitlist, we will add another class at 8am!!
Black Friday - we need your input on what time you would like a class.  Also, would you be interested in a 2 hour ride?  Email me at: saratogacyclingstudio@gmail.com

That about wraps it up! 

Ch,ch,ch, changes!

With autumn upon us in Upstate NY comes lots of changes.  The weather, the leaves, our daily routines and workouts.  While August was a super busy month for us at the Saratoga Cycling Studio, we are still seeing a big increase in class numbers, with many selling out in the week.  It makes me very proud to be the owner of such a unique and prosperous fitness studio and I have YOU to thank for that!

The kids went back to school earlier last month and we noticed that a few of you were struggling to find the balance between that new schedule and your health and fitness life.  We hope that our class schedule works around the kids games, homework and other activities.  We offer classes from 6am all the way until 6:45pm and four classes on the weekend. 

Don't forget, when you are marking the calendar with your fall events, leave a little room for YOU.  An hour at the Saratoga Cycling Studio can do wonders to reduce stress, boost your immune system, burn major calories and promote those "feel good" vibes that we all crave. 

When fall is on the way out, winter will be pushing its way in.  We plan on adding more classes and maybe even a few new faces at SCS.  Be on the lookout for those changes in the next few weeks!

What won't change is our pricing, 100% dedication to the official Spinning program and the passion we have to make this the best fitness studio in Saratoga Springs.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

10/8, Columbus Day.  Regular class schedule.

10/19, 6pm, Spin for a Cure - SOLD OUT, thanks!

10/13, Spinning Orientation.  Spinning.com to sign up to possibly join our team!  Jerry's spin class is at 8am that day. 

10/14, Spinning Continuing Education course.  No Powerhouse that day, Spin Fusion is on as scheduled.

11/3, 7am and 8am, Ride to Recovery.  You can register for either one hour or both!  Spinningnation.org to sign up.  Proceeds buy spin bikes for men and women in the armed forces who are being rehabilitated.

Events Announcement and Some Tunes!

  Phew, running a law office and the best Spinning studio in town can be exhausting!  I also have been cheating on you with another blog on Saratoga.com (spinterest) that features everything to do with fitness.  I picked up another gig with Saratoga Continuing Education for the fall semester.  I am teaching "fitness with weights for men and women" on Wednesday nights (at the high school) at 5:15pm.  You can sign up for that through this link:  http://www.saratogaschools.org/community.cfm?subpage=779881

  The Saratoga Cycling Studio is a big part of the community now and it is very important to us that we pay it forward.  October is breast cancer awareness month, so the Saratoga Cycling Studio  is going to host Spin for a Cure on October 19th at 6:00pm.  Proceeds go to the Susan G. Komen foundation to help find a cure for this disease that has affected all of us in some way.  Your registration also gets you a free SCS shirt and we will be hosting a little party afterwards to celebrate the Spin for a Cure ride.  You can register here:  https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ASP/home.asp?studioid=25286

  Next up is the Ride to Recovery charity hosted by Spinning Nation on November 3rd.  The proceeds of this fundraiser buy Spin bikes that will be used to rehabilitate men and women in the armed forces who have been injured in the line of duty.  I have been a part of this charity for all 5 years that they have had the Ride to Recovery and it is so great that I can host it at my own facility this year!  You can sign up for one hour or both hours through this link:  Spinningnation.org.  Just look for our facility and get yourself registered!

  Now that you know of all of our upcoming events, how about I share some of my current favorite spin songs with you?  You can also access all of my playlists by joining Spotify - and it is free!

Run - Flo Rida
Creep - Radiohead
Get Through This - Art of Dying
Breathe - Prodigy
All You - The Cataracs
The King and All of His Men - Wolf Gang
Love Somebody - Maroon 5
Carry On - Fun
Badass - Saliva

 

It Has Been a While!

Hey there Cycle Psycho's!  Long time, no see!  As you can imagine, I have been caught up in the excitement of the Saratoga Cycling Studio's success thus far.  I try to thank the members each day for making my dream become a reality. 

We have been open for just over 3 months, and that means that we are finally getting settled in and ready to launch some really exciting things.  We foresee a retail line emerging, fundraising rides and lots of other fun events in the coming months.

The fall and winter schedule should be posted in a couple of weeks and we would love your feedback.  You can email me at saratogacyclingstudio@gmail.com, or visit us on our facebook page through saratogacyclingstudio.com.  If you love our schedule and selection of classes, let us know.  If there is something that you would like to see that we do not offer yet, please contact me.

With the school year almost upon us, we would also like to mention again that the studio is available for group rides.  Do you have a child that plays sports and would like the team to ride together?  We are working closely with the Saratoga Springs School District to get rides together for several of the sports teams.  We also can offer corporate rides to bring your employees together.  It is a great team building tool and also a wonderful way to get healthy.  We can host your next birthday party, bachelorette/bachelor party or whatever occasion you can think of!  Contact us today!

Happy Hour spin will be back in September, so get ready to party!!  Jerry and I have some really fun theme rides coming your way. 

Lastly, we are offering free classes to the top 3 folks to "check-in" using Facebook or FourSquare from August 1-31st.  Get in on the action!!

GROUPON TODAY!!!!

http://www.groupon.com/deals/saratoga-cycling-studio-llc?utm_campaign=UserReferral&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=anonymous

There is the link for a HOT deal folks!!!  Take advantage of these huge savings while you can!!

Certified and Proud of It!

It has always been important to me to make sure that I am certified and current with my trainings.  This ensures that I am educated and aware of any changes or developments, but also reassures me that I can keep my clients safe and happy at all times. 

Since we are a licensed Spinning facility, ALL of my instructors have to be certified.  They also hold other various fitness certifications and are all CPR & AED certified by the American Heart Association. 

What this means to you, is that you can workout with someone who is properly trained and educated.  No worries about unsafe moves, unsafe heart rates or getting hurt during one of our classes.  Sometimes people call us "coaches" because we really are there to train you do achieve your goals in the most efficient way possible.

Don't be afraid to ask your instructor, trainer or coach what credentials they hold.  Your safety comes first!

Barre Strength and Conditioning Comes to SCS!

Barre Strength Conditioning is a fitness program that sculpts and defines the body. The workout consists of isolating and strengthening muscles through a fusion of isometric exercises and interval training coupled with the principles of Ballet conditioning, Yoga, and Pilates. Barre Strength Conditioning will help you achieve the definition you are looking for in your legs, glutes, arms, and abs. 30 minutes - off the bike.

You can find this class every Thursday night at 5:30pm.  saratogacyclingstudio.com to sign up!

Begin To Spin this Saturday!

If you are new to spinning, please consider signing up for a beginners class. It is only offered biweekly, so grab a bike while you still can!

http://www.saratogacyclingstudio.com/

Us vs. Them

Good Morning Psycho's! 

I know, I know, I have been an absentee blogger.  So many exciting things have been happening with the Saratoga Cycling Studio, LLC that I have been really tied up.

Four members of the SCS team just completed a 9 hour Spinning training and we couldn't be more proud of them.  There are lots of indoor cycling programs out there, but Spinning (in my opinion) is the biggest and the best in the world! 

I thought I would touch on some of the reasons I believe this to be true, along with the other millions of folks that would agree with me.  Spinning is located in over 300,000 facilities in over 100 countries and has been around for 20 years.  While they continue to always evolve the program, the core principals seem to remain the same, keeping our participants happy and healthy.

We all know there are some Spinning instructors that go "rogue" and do not follow the guidelines that they were taught, we are going to focus on the SCS team who follows the program very carefully.

What you will see from our certified Spinning instructors:

• Experts in helping you with bike set-up.
• Knowledge of heart rate zones, keeping you right where you need to be - attaining your goals! 
• A prepared ride or "profile" to ensure you are getting the most out of your class in an organized manner.
• Proper form and techniques keeping you as SAFE and HEALTHY as possible.
• No gimmicks!  At places I have taught Spinning in the past, I have had participants ask me why their backs or knees hurt after instructor "abc" taught.  My response is: if you don't see me doing it in class, do not do it.  It is probably not safe.  While we all have a different style of teaching, at SCS we all teach SPINNING and nothing else, so the key movements will always be consistent.

What you could see from non-certified instructors:

• A very knowledgeable Master Spinning instructor once told me, if you don't do it on an outdoor bike, don't do it on an indoor bike.
• Plugging in their ipod and just teaching a random ride to random songs with no plan.
• Hovers, floating, or as I like to call it, "grinding your knees".  This move doesn't exist in Spinning and is quite dangerous to your joints.
• Push-ups on the bike.  This is horrible for your back and other joints!  Plus, you do not get any health or strength benefits from it.  Should you happen to slip on the handlebars while attempting this, you could lose a few teeth.  Cute?
• Pedalling as fast as you can with no resistance. OUCH! 
• I have heard of an instructor doing "four corners" of their body on the bike.  While this instructor is known to be super "fun", he is also super dangerous.
• I could go on and on, but just google "contraindicated spinning moves" and you will see article after article of what we just discussed.
• Here is a great article that highlights the most dangerous moves: http://mail-dog.com/page.html?p=000001XDDtjL1IFLkXd2E1xaNcJ1mfvJA1bHaA

I am not trying to bash any fellow instructors by any means, I am just trying to explain how to keep you safe and happy on the bike.  From being in this industry for almost 10 years, I can tell you that 99% of the instructors I have seen do not want to hurt you intentionally, they just don't know any better.  So, if you are in an indoor cycling class, do not be afraid to ask your instructor about his or her certifications.  Also, do not hesitate to ask about a certain move that may have caused you some pain.

When I was first Spinning certified, I was petrified to teach according to the rules I was taught.  I was used to a class that was filled with those contraindicated moves.  But, when I started to share with my class why we do things like this, they listened and responded really positively.  Knowledge is power!! 

Happy cycling!

SCS Now Hiring

If you or someone you know live in Upstate New York and would like a chance to teach at the best studio in town, email me at: saratogacyclingstudio@gmail.com

Now hiring!

Saratoga Cycling Studio, LLC!

I do apologize for my lack of posting lately.  As you can tell, I am a bit busy opening my own studio!!!!  If you haven't checked us out on facebook, go ahead and "like" the Saratoga Cycling Studio, LLC.  I have some details and some photos up now!!

See you May 1st!

Saratoga Cycling Studio LLC is on Facebook!

Come and check us out!  We will have much more information and our website in the coming weeks.  Thank you again for all of your support! 

BIG NEWS! We are opening the SARATOGA CYCLING STUDIO, May 1st!

Hey Psycho's!!  We have some exciting news for you!  After years of wanting to open our own spin studio, we are finally doing it!  Doors open on May 1st!  The address is 24 Hamilton Street, Suite 3, Saratoga Springs, NY.  I will have more information (and our website) for you as soon as I can.

Thank you for celebrating with me!

Spinning Music 2/16/12

Warm Up
Charlie Brown - Coldplay

Running Flats
Ass Back Home - Gym Class Heroes

Climb
Can't Get Enough - J. Cole

Running Flats
The Longest Road - Elevate

Running Hills
Shuffle - Bombay Bicycle Club

Running Flats
Somebody I Used to Know (Its the DJ Kue! Remix)- Gotye

Sprints
Runaway Baby - Bruno Mars

Running Hills
Part of Me (Justin Sane Remix) - Katy Perry

Climb
No Resolution - Seether

Cool Down
Say it With Me - Chris Brown

Spinning Music 2/14/12

Since I was teaching on Valentine's Day, of course I had to play some appropriate themed music!  I played some "love stinks" and some "love is grand" songs so that everyone was happy.  I big "thank you" goes out to my friend Sarah for some great song ideas!

Warm Up
When Love Takes Over - David Guetta

Running Flats
DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love - Usher

Running Hills
Not in Love - Crystal Castles

Climb
Love Hurts - Incubus

Climb
Tainted Love - Marilyn Manson

Intervals
Terrible Love - the National

Running Flats
My Love (Paul Oakenfold Remix) - Justin Timberlake

Jumps
Somebody to Love (CPR remix) - Junior Torrey

Hills
Somebody To Love - Jefferson Airplane

Climb
Love Stinks - J. Geils Band

Running Hills
F*ckin Perfect - P!nk

Running Flats
S&M (Max K Remix Edit - Rihanna

Hills
Modern Love - David Bowie

Sprints
Potential Breakup Song - Aly & AJ

Cool Down
Baby I love Your Way - Peter Frampton

Cool Down
Make you Feel My Love - Adele

Spinning Music 2/6/12 & 2/7/12 - Back to the 80's!

Even though I have fresh new music each week, I get sick of hearing the same old songs all the time.  So, to switch things up a bit, I did an all 80's music class!  I took requests and it was a blast!  I had people dancing and singing along with getting a great workout in.

Warm Up
You Spin Me Round - Dead or Alive

Running Flats
I Will Follow - U2

Running Hills
Walk Like an Egyptian - the Bangles

Climb
Shout - Tears for Fears

Running Flats
Whip It - Devo

Jumps
One Thing Leads to Another - the Fixx

Running Hills
White Wedding - Billy Idol

Climb
West End Girls - Pet Shop Boys

Hills
Lucky Star - Madonna

Running Flats into Hills into a Climb
Come on Eileen - Dexys Midnight Runners

Hills
Livin' on a Prayer - Bon Jovi

Running Hills
Billie Jean - Michael Jackson

Flats
Sweet Dreams - Eurythmics

Cool Down
Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper

Cool Down
Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears

Spinning Music 2/2/12 & 2/4/12

Warm Up
Amazing - One Eskimo

Running Flats
Bridge Burning - Foo Fighters

Running Flats
Tonight is the Night (Oliver Twist remix)- Outasight

Hills
Like Glue - Sean Paul

Running Flats
Paradise (infinity and you know it mashup) - Mashup Germany

Climb
Overnight Celebrity (clean version) - Twista

Running Flats
Dragula (hot rod herman remix) - Rob Zombie

Jumps
Up N' Down - Britney Spears

Hills
Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men

Running Flats
Naked - Enrique Iglesias

Cool Down
Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears

Spinning Music 1/30/12 & 1/31/12

This profile was all about endurance.

Warm Up
Sweat - Snoop Dogg

Running Flats
Where Have You Been - Rihanna

Running Flats
Titanium - David Guetta

Running Flats
Born this Way (grum remix) - Lady Gaga

Running Hills
She Doesn't Mind - Sean Paul

Running Hills
Naked - Enrique Iglesias

Running Flats
4 am (Adam K & Soha radio edit) - Kaskade

Hills
Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men

Running Hills
International Love - Pitbull

Jumps
Up n' Down - Britney Spears

Running Flats
Something Good Can Work - 2 Door Cinema Club

Running Flats
You Used to Hold Me - Calvin Harris

Running Flats
Barbara Streisand - Duck Sauce

Cool Down
Never Let Me Go - Florence & the Machine

Cool Down
Lovely Day - Bill Withers

Spinning Music 1/26 & 1/28

Warm Up
4am (Adam and Soha Radio Edit) - Kaskade

Running Flats
Marry the Night (Zedd Remix) - Lady Gaga

Running Flats
Video Games (remix final mix) - Lana Del Ray

Running Hills
Drive By - Train

Climb
In My Blood - Black Stone Cherry

Climb
Never Too Late - Three Days Grace

Running Flats
The One That Got Away (R3hab mix) - Katy Perry

Jumps
Mucho Mambo - Shaft

Running Hills
Sex Type Thing - Stone Temple Pilots

Hills
Road to Nowhere - Talking Heads

Running Flats
Dancing with Myself - The Donnas

My Journey to be Healthy

This will probably be the most personal and hardest post I have written thus far.

While I am not the skinniest kid on the block, I am strong, fit and in a positive place in my life.  That was not the case many years ago and I had my expanding waist-line to show for it.  I thought some of you could relate to my story and perhaps connect with the struggles and accomplishments that I also had in my life.

We all know that cigarettes, tons of alcohol, fast food, 4 hours of sleep a night and ZERO workouts is not the way that a healthy person lives.  Yet, this was my life from about the time I was 22 until about 2005, when I turned 26.  I was also dealing with anxiety and depression for which I took 2 different types of medication to monitor and control. 

My "rock bottom" was when I moved from Baltimore, Maryland back to Upstate New York and had to start my life over after a devastating break-up.  Yes, I realize that is very cliche, but I thank my lucky stars when I think about that time in my life.  I knew that I was the only one in charge of my own happiness and my own health, so I needed to get moving! 

I got myself a great job with the Department of Health, got a great apartment and started to work on making ME happy for a change.  I started working out at my little apartment "gym" a few days a week.  I had no idea what all that equipment was for, but I tried.  About 10 months later (and many hilarious and dreadful 1st dates), I met the man that I would marry.  With his help, I joined a real gym and was there regularly.  After going for a few months, I found myself in my first spin class!  The instructor was great and I got the courage to get in and out of the saddle with more and more confidence and strength as the weeks went by. 

I had lost about 10 pounds in that first year.  Was it the 30 pounds that I expected?  No, but I appreciated all of it!  After being encouraged by that great instructor, I got certified to teach spinning and got my own class right away.  Along with being on the bike, I also trained with a personal trainer and learned that weight lifting is just as important as a cardio workout.  The next year, I had lost another 10 pounds and got married!!

As the months went by, I started teaching more and more and even got certified to teach Les Mills Bodypump which is a barbell weight lifting class.  I also took many continuing education courses in health and fitness to expand my knowledge.  My weight did fluctuate 5-8 pounds here and there throughout the years, but after 3 years of training, I lost those final 10 pounds, totalling about 30-35 pounds lost!

Fast-forward to today, I have maintained my weight for over 2 years through clean eating and exercise and I couldn't be happier.  No, working out is not enough to make you truly content with your life, but it sure does help!  I am also very thankful to have a super supportive husband and a family of friends that I cherish.

I have some pictures below of my weight loss.  I think you can see that I am smiling on the inside and out!
~2004, Halloween.  2011 during a Bodypump class.

2008, still 10 pesky pounds to lose.

Fall 2011, my first Duathlon.  Please don't mind my "no makeup" look!

25,000 pageviews!!! We did it!!!

Wow, I am amazed by how many of you read my little blog!!  It isn't fancy, it isn't high-tech, it isn't even updated on a timely manner, but you still love it!!!!  I appreciate all of my psycho readers and hope that you will continue to follow my little blog for as long as I teach.

Spin 1/19/12 & 1/21/12

Warm Up
Ride - Tiesto

Running Flats
Amazing (kaskade remix) - Seal

Running Flats into hills
Don't Stop (the fatrat remix) - Foster the People

Climb
Causal Sex - My Darkest Days

Climb
Need You Tonight - INXS

Running Flats
International Love - Pitbull

Jumps
Bang Bang - K'naan

Running Flats
Blow (cirkut remix) - Ke$ha

Sprints
Smash my Bitch Up - Djlobsterdust

Climb
Guilty Filthy Soul - Awolnation

Running Flats
Wild One - Flo Rida

Spin 1/12/12 & 1/14/12

I just realized that I forgot to post this ride.  So sorry Psycho's!   On Thursday night and Saturday morning I teach a 45 minute ride followed by ab and core work.  I only usually post my music from the ride.

Warm Up
Glad You Came - The Wanted

Running Flats
Set Fire to the Rain (house remix) - Adele

Running Hills
I Like How it Feels - Enrique Iglesias

Climb
Breathe - Blu Cantrell

Running Flats
Stronger (deluxe version) - Kelly Clarkson

Running Flats/Hills
Rope (deadmau5 mix) - Foo Fighters

Sprints
Lets Go Crazy - Prince

Climb
The Sex is Good - Saving Abel

Climb
Easy to Love You - Theory of a Deadman

Running Flats
Papi (Rosabel Vocal Club Mix) - Jennifer Lopez

Spin 1/16 & 1/17

Since my tan and great memories were not the only thing that I came home with from our cruise, I have been really focusing on interval and strength work on the bike so that I can shed these darn 4 pounds that have been lingering.

I think it is working ;)

Warm Up
Glad You Came - The Wanted

Running Hills
Take Care - Drake

Running Flats into Running Hills
Tomorrow Never Knows - Alison Mosshart.  This song is an intense 7 minutes.

Climb
Young, Wild & Free - Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa, please make sure to get the CLEAN version!

Running Hills
Handlebars - Flobots

Flats
Set Fire to the Rain (house remix) - Adele.  You could say "set fire to your legs"!

Hills
Lonely Boy - The Black Keys

Flats
Stronger (Paperchaser Radio Mix) - Kelly Clarkson

Climb
All I Do Is Win - DJ Khaled

Flats
Heartbeat - Childish Gambino

Sprints
Voodoo Killer - G3RSt

Recovery
Somebody That I Used to Know - Gotye

Cool Down
Video Games - Lana Del Rey

Cool Down
Holocene - Bon Iver

1/9/12 & 1/10/12

Happy hump day psycho's!!!  I excited to tell you that Jeanie's Custom Fitness Studio will be participating in the National Wear Red day.  Our day will consist of 30 minutes of Spin and 30 minutes of ZUMBA.  All proceeds will be donated to the American Heart Association. $15 for both classes!!! Dancing, spinning, and cardio vascular fitness is the best thing to order at this happy hour! Free prize with registration and raffle ticket for a give away.  If you are in the area and are interested in participating and/or donating, please visit Jeanies facebook page.

This was the same ride "profile" on both days, but I did switch out 2 or 3 songs.  You have to know how to read your audience and I get such different crowds at both studios.  I am going to try to also give you an idea of why I may have chosen these songs.

Warm Up
Lunar - David Guetta - this song has no lyrics and it was kind of nice not to have to wait for a break in the music to say what I need to say during the warm up :)

Running Flats
Glad You Came - The Wanted - the lyrics say it all!

Running Flats
What the Water Gave Me (Romeo Blanco Remix) - Florence and the Machine - just a great beat for a long, flat road. 

Running Hills (intervals)
Night of Your Life - David Guetta - the beat picks up at 3 different spots making it a great song to execute intervals.

Hills
Lift Me Up - Moby - I like to say "lift your heels up on the bottom pedal stroke" to go along with the lyrics.

Climb
Take a Picture - Filter - Who doesn't love a blast - from - the - past rock song?

Running Flats - Domino (house remix) - Jessie J - just a twist on a popular song on the radio.

Jumps
Open Your Eyes (sex ray vision remix) - Snow Patrol - nice, even beat for perfect jumps.

Running Hills (intervals)
Kryptonite - 3 Doors Down - rocking beat to get everyone pumped up.

Running Hills (intervals)
Devour - Shinedown - I know a few people in class that really love Shinedown.

Running Flats
Purple Haze (Benny Benassi Remix) - Jimi Hendrix - Does this one really need a reason?

Running Flats
Touch the Sky - Sean Paul - newer song with a fun beat.

Climb
Bottoms Up - Nickelback - I tell them to not think of a drink "bottom", but their own "bottom" in this song as they climb out of the saddle.

Cool Down
Holocene - Bon Iver

Happy New Year Psycho's!!!

We had a fabulous vacation, but I am so glad to be back in the saddle!!  I did end up gaining about 4 pounds while we were away for 12 days, but I have a feeling with my rigorous workout schedule I should be able to shed those pesky pounds quickly.

On Thursdays and Saturdays I teach a 45 minute ride followed by ab and core work.  I will post the songs I use on the bike below. 

Warm Up
Love Generation - Bob Sinclair

Running Flats
You Make Me Feel - DJ Shocker

Running Flats
Touch the Sky - Sean Paul

Running Hills
International Love - Chris Brown

Climb
Princess of China - Coldplay & Rihanna

Running Hills
I Like How it Feels - Enrique Iglesias

Climb
Bright Lights Bigger City - Cee Lo Green

Running Flats
What the Water Gave Me - Florence and the Machine

Running Hills
Can You Hold it Against Me Without You?  Britney Spears vs. Usher Mashup