March 2019 - The Blonde Side

Home Gym Tips & Tricks

If you’ve followed me on social media or this blog for a while, you know fitness is one of the things I focus most on. I love sharing workout tips, my favorite athleisure brands and of course the reasons why I love Orangetheory Fitness Houston (OTF).

While I try to hit OTF 3x a week, that still leaves 4 days, that’s why when I’m apartment hunting, the apartment gym is a key thing I look for, and Encore Montrose hit the nail on the head with their gym setup. They have a full gym on the first floor with all the cardio machines and free weights you’d ever need and have a private spin and pilates studio located on the second floor.

With that said, I know finding the motivation and a workout you’ll actually do isn’t as easy as all the bloggers make it sound. As someone who travels a lot and finds herself trying to get a good workout in on the road, I’ve narrowed down a few workout tips and tricks to share.

Sometimes I head down to the apartment gym and give myself a quick goal – whether that’s 30 minutes in the gym and I can choose what I do on the spot or that’s 2-miles on the treadmill plus 2 sets of 3 arm exercises. For me personally, my goal is usually just movement. I’m not all about pre-workout shakes or having to hit a specific calorie burn on my Apple watch, but I realize it’s different for everyone.

4 Easy-To-Follow Workouts You Can Do At Home:

Fitness Blender – No Equipment Workout– No equipment workouts are usually my favorite, especially when I’m short on time. You don’t have to waste time gathering equipment or waiting for someone to finish their set, plus these are pretty easy to do in a small hotel room or in my own apartment. Time: 20 minutes (and don’t forget to stretch)
Nike Training ClubApp– I wrote about this app back in 2013, so clearly I’m a big fan. I love how easy it is to use – you can search based on muscle group (i.e. core, back and glutes) as well as time, which is more than ideal when I only have 15 minutes to get a workout in. They go over all the exercises and show proper technique, provide motivation (“You got this!”) along the way and you can even listen to your own music during the workout while they count you down through each move. Time: varies
Kayla Itsines–Everyone’s heard of Kayla before as she has taken over the Internet by storm for a few years and for good reason. There are a lot of workouts you can find from her, like the 7-minute YouTube one linked above, following her YouTube channel, following her on Instagram or buying her guide. She is well respected in the industry and has a workout for pretty much everything. Time: 7 minutes (and many others)
Pamela RF – Best 20 Minute Workout at Home– Again, all you need is a yoga mat (and that’s based on personal preference), and it’s a quick burst of HIIT that’ll be a good way to get in a fast workout and get those endorphins pumping. Time: 20 minutes

3 other pro tips when it comes to working out at home:

Take a look around. Encore Montrose offers interactive fitness classes in the pilates and spin studio. You may not even need an app or extra motivation – ask someone in the leasing office (same holds true if you’re in a hotel and don’t know how to use the apps they have provided) and get started. Many hotels I’ve visited lately even have Peloton bikes and subscriptions set up for your use!
Google is your best friend. If I want a quick leg workout, I type that in and usually have pretty good luck finding a YouTube video specializing in that specifically. It won’t always work, but it’s worth a shot!
I follow a lot of fit-related Instagram accounts. Many times they have captions with a quick run through of a workout or even videos showcasing a 10-minute sequence. I simply have a folder titled “Workouts” and hit save for future use.

This blog post is part of a sponsored series with Encore Montrose, sharing what I love about this eclectic Houston neighborhood and particularly my spacious apartment community, which includes the gym. These Montrose luxury apartments are offering some amazing leasing specials on all their floor plans, a few weeks free rent, so hurry in for a tour! If you stop by for a tour shoot me a note and be sure to tell them Jayme (or The Blonde Side) sent you! The address is 4508 Graustark Street, located right next to Black Hole Coffee.

Siphon Coffee in Montrose

It’s no surprise the coffee shops in Montrose are as unique and eclectic as the entire neighborhood (shops, eateries, tree-lined streets, tattoo shops and more). As someone who works from home, changing up my routine to local coffee shops a few times a week is key for my creativity.

Black Hole Coffee House– Located directly next door to our Montrose apartments is the cute and always packed Black Hole Coffee. Serving coffee, tea, snacks and desserts, plus there is almost always a food truck outside, so you’ll be able to eat, drink and work on your laptop easily. What used to be a convenience store (and still has the confusing sign to prove it) is now a local favorite boasting local food and even has beer and wine. I’m not much of a late night person, but they’re open until midnight if that’s your thing.

Agora– This two-story eclectic and full-of-vibe coffee house serves coffee and so much more (including a pretty broad selection of wines). This is the kind of place I have posted up for hours upon hours, thanks to the glasses and bottles of wine they serve. I’m a big fan of sitting on the second floor peering out onto Westheimer, because if you know that area of Houston, you never know what you’ll see. The ambiance and nearby walkability here is something Houstonians have adored for years.

Inversion Coffee & Art– This is a smaller space, located on Montrose and offers great coffee and tea selections, but the bonus here is the Gelato! And according to some of their recent Instagram posts, they now serve donuts, so it’s time I add this one back into my rotation. They have pastries and other light snacks and the space is filled with lots of natural sunlight and artwork adorned on the walls. If you live in the Montrose area, you’ll likely run into a friend or two here, since it’s such a popular spot.

Siphon Coffee– This spot has beer on tap. Yes, they obviouslyserve coffee, but so much more including a pretty healthy breakfast and lunch selection that starts at 7a. I highly recommend the Stuffed Avocado – pasture raised egg yolk, potato hash, grand cru gruyere, basil and red chili flake stuffed inside a ripe and delicious avocado. This place is unique, and so is their brewing method and it’s definitely worth a stop on your Montrose Houston coffee tour.

This is part of a sponsored blog series with my favorite Montrose apartments, Encore Montrose. Encore Montrose is currently offering a few incredible leasing specials on one and two-bedroom apartments, including look and lease gift cards plus a few weeks free rent, so don’t miss out. If you stop by for a private tour shoot me a note and be sure to tell them Jayme (or The Blonde Side) sent you! Also, ask for the Champagne Tour to help make the process even more enjoyable!

Easy Workout Tips and Links for Apartment Workouts

4 of Houston Montrose’s Best Coffee Shops