To all my readers (and friends IRL), add the date October 27^th to your calendars because my favorite fitness folks (Orangetheory Fitness, aka OTF) is heading to The Woodlands.

This will be the 13^th Orangetheory Fitness studio in the Greater Houston area, and the first studio in The Woodlands.

If you read any of my fitness posts or follow me on Instagram, you already know I’m obsessed with OTF and the high-intensity (not to mention scientifically designed) workouts they offer.

I especially love the rush it gives me knowing if I hit 12 splat points (they have unique lingo, I must admit), my body will continue to burn calories up to 36 hours after my workout. That’s enough to push me past what I think might be my limit for the day just knowing my work at that very moment could prove even further benefits.

The new fitness studio in The Woodlands will feature 34 workout stations and  3,900 square feet, so you’ll have plenty of space to burn those calories before the holidays (like my birthday, just to name one) kick in.

It’s rare for me to workout for 60 minutes and feel like I’m done (i.e. worked out enough already), but after one of these heart-rate based classes, I literally couldn’t go any harder if I tried. I love being able to knock out such an intense workout in 60 minutes a few times a week and then carry on with my day (after a shower, obvi!).

The Woodlands studio will be located at 4747 Research Forest Dr., Suite 445, The Woodlands, TX 77381 in the Cochran’s Crossing Shopping Center.

And if you’ve never been, your first workout is FREE (just mention The Blonde Side).

My fitness hack: I truly think you’ll love it, but with all gyms and fitness studios, I always suggest giving it three tries before you decide against it (but if you decide after one session that you love it, sign up before you talk yourself out of it!). It’s the whole “fish out of water” mentality, and I know it takes me a few times to feel comfortable in a new training environment.

If you want to follow OTF The Woodlands on social media, check them out on Facebook and Instagram.

 

I don’t live in the “burbs,” although the recent grand opening I attended almost made me wish I did. VillaSport Athletic Club and Spa just recently opened in Cypress, just outside Houston. It is their 4^th location in the United States and the second in our area (The Woodlands was their 2^nd ever location, and is extremely popular).

Don’t be confused. Although fitness is a huge part of VillaSport’s concept, they are not a gym. In fact, they don’t use the g-word. Because they are much more than that, focusing not only on health and fitness, but overall wellness, interaction with neighbors and a great escape that makes you feel like you’re miles away.

Here are a few of my highlights from my visit:

After my tour, I understood why they avoid the g-word, although it’s got more fitness

equipment than most any of the gyms I’ve seen before. VillaSport members (because yes, you do have to have a membership) come to work out, interact with others, but they also feel like they’re at a 5-Star Resort. It’s the kind of place you feel like you’re on vacation year-round, but at a fraction of the cost. Plus, if you’re able to take advantage of the 14,6000 square foot cardio and weight floor, it’s pretty good for your health too.

Check out a few amenities that truly make it 5-Star’ish:

• Pay a little extra to rent a permanent locker and they’ll do your laundry for you!
• 25-yard indoor lap pool that is kept at 82 degrees
• NBA regulation basketball court – anyone want to play a game of HORSE?
• Concierge Service
• Full service spa (massages, facials, waxing, manicures and pedicures)
• Poolside cabana and grill (yes, they have alcohol!)

Fitness at VillaSport Cypress:

As far as fitness is concerned, I love the fact they offer 150-200 classes each week – that are no extra charge to members. This means if you need to change up your workout frequently like me, you are all set. They currently have 30-35 instructors, so it’s not hard to find the one that meshes with your sweaty soul and start getting your fitness on. They have five dedicated studios for group exercise and group training, 120+ cardio machines all with personal TVs and internet access and I especially love their Pilates Reformer studio, because that is a killer way to tone and shape and isn’t as hard on your body as other workouts.

They also have two outdoor AstroTurf areas for CrossFit, soccer, speed work and more.

The Spa:

Other than the fact I’ve yet to meet a spa I didn’t like, my favorite thing about this one is that the Spa Director (Sarah) used to run a spa in Maui so they have made every effort to bring that “Aloha touch to Cypress.”

In case you don’t live in the area or aren’t interested in becoming a member, you can still use the spa (though members get “preferred pricing”). As a guest, if you spend $50 or more on spa services, you’ll get access to the club for the entire day. And did I mention they’ll provide complimentary childcare while you’re at the spa (for up to 2 hours)? Pretty nifty, right?

We also included the brand new VillaSport Cypress in our August 5 Things video, so be sure to check it out (and subscribe to The Blonde Side’s YouTube channel while you’re at it!). If a full membership seems like a big commitment, try getting a day pass so you can experience and see if it’s something you (and possibly your family) might enjoy on a more regular basis.

*This was a sponsored post but all content and opinions were my own.

It seems every corner you turn, there is a new gym (or studio or box or whatever they are called these days) in Houston, but one of the latest (and greatest) I’ve found is MA1 Fitness Studio, located in the Memorial City area. (You can check them out via their FB page.)

I had the chance to speak with one of the gym-owners and trainers (and good friend of mine) Jonathan Holland, and his list of credentials are about as big as his biceps. (Seriously, both are impressive.)

Holland is a Retired NFL player for the Oakland Raiders, but he’s also a health and wellness coach/trainer, NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) certified personal trainer, he is CPR certified, and is currently studying to receive his nutritionist certification. He’s kind of an all around badass, and if I had to describe my perfect trainer, Holland would pretty much fit the bill.

Here’s a look at The Blonde Side’s exclusive interview with Holland: 

The Blonde Side: Does being a former NFL player scare off some clients (do you think you’re all about meaty and hardcore work or are your clients pleasantly surprised?):

Jonathan Holland: I honestly think being a former NFL player has been one of the major benefits to my success thus far as a trainer. It actually tends to attract more potential clients rather than run them off. I think they see it as a plus to have a former professional athlete train them due to the versatility of different methods of training.

TBS: Do your consider your gym a “gym?” Some are not studios or crossfit, etc, what does yours fall under?

JH: It’s definitely not a corporate styled gym, nor is it a crossfit or box as the crossfitters like to call it. I would describe our gym as a training facility for those who are looking to get serious about their overall health and wellness while training like an athlete.

TBS: Why did you decide to open up your own gym?

JH: It’s always been a dream of mine to one day open up a gym so when the opportunity arose I hopped on it without hesitation! The opportunity presented itself while I was training at another location. The owner came to me and two of my best friends who were also trainers at the gym, with the idea of opening up another location in the Memorial City area. What’s funny is that my business partners (Anthony James and Lamar Vaughn) and myself had already been thinking about our next move. So when the gym owner told us his vision and what he wanted to do, we automatically hopped on board. Not to take anything away from the trainers that we were working with at the previous gym, but we just had different visions. Our vision was to create an atmosphere where we could train and coach individuals with a more diverse and unique athletic training style no matter what their level of fitness experience would be. I think what sets us apart from other locations is that we treat everyone who walks through our door just like they’re family. It’s one thing to offer your services to people, but it means so much more when you can help to brighter up their day by doing the little things.

TBS: Do you personally have a mantra that you use to stay motivated?

JH: We have a sign that hangs up in the clients changing room that states: “I’m not telling you it’s going to be easy, I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it.” I think that says a lot!

TBS: What type of clientele are you trying to attract?

JH (laughing): It’s like my pastor used to say: “The doors of the church are open!!” The meaning is we welcome all to our gym family. Whether you’re someone who has no experience in the fitness world but you’re looking to get started, someone who may have stopped and needs to hit the restart button, someone who may have health issues and needs help towards getting better, or even if you’re a former or current athletes!!

TBS: Do you offer any first-time free classes?

JH: First-time sessions are always free! We love seeing new faces walk through the door. We recently had our Saturday morning boot campers give us some feedback on the group session and they absolutely love it! “Sucka Free” Saturday boot camps go down each and every Saturday morning @9:30a.m.

As a late note: group training sessions are on Mondays and Wednesdays evening at 6p.m. Tuesdays and Thursday mornings at 6a.m. and as mentioned before on Saturday mornings at 9:30a.m.

I am so pumped (and slightly nervous) to be planning a 5k with Women’s Health Magazine and Runtastic, but I’m ready to meet this task head-on.

The 5k is still in the planning stages, but here’s what I can tell you: I NEED SIGNUPS! Also, I’ve got the date nailed down and I promise it will be a casual FUN RUN. No crazy times – your dogs and your strollers and your friends who hate running are ALL invited.

This is my fifth year being selected as a Women’s Health Action Hero and something I am incredibly proud of. In the five years this program has been around, we have raised 5 million meals for those in need. Please see below and sign-up and join me – the cost is $28 but with code WHLAMM you’ll get a discount!

WHEN: Saturday, October 15th – 8a.

Location: Houston, TBD (I will mapping out the course, so if you have ideas, let me know!)

To Sign-up: Click here and go to Register Now, then scroll down to RUN YOUR OWN. Then select JOIN A TEAM, select RUN YOUR OWN 5K. You’ll start the registration process and then will again select JOIN EXISTING TEAM and search for THE BLONDE SIDE. Finish registration using discount code WHLAMM.

This is a super fun event and an incredible cause – providing meals to those in need right here in Houston.

If you want to make a quick donation (honestly, even $10 goes A LONG WAY), click here to help support that way.

Interested in donating or are you a business who wants to be involved? Email me ASAP: jayme@theblondeside.com.

H-Town super runner talks virtual race, shares tips on running in the heat

Avid runners in the Houston community have likely heard Calum “Cal” Neff’s name before. Neff has a number of running accolades credited to his name. To name just a few, he is the Guinness World Record Holder for Fastest Half Marathon pushing a stroller (which he dominated in Katy for a time of 1:11:27), he came in 23rd overall in the 2016 Houston Marathon, and he won the 2014 North American Wings for Life World Run.

For those who aren’t familiar with the Wings for Life World Run (WFLWR), it is a global run taking place at the exact same time in 34 locations this year across the world. The purpose is to raise funds for research in finding a cure for spinal cord injuries.

As Neff gears up with hopes of adding another title or personal record to his stat card, he is encouraging other runners, of all levels, to join him for the Wings for Life World Run Selfie Run this Sunday, May 8th. Houston’s official timeslot for this virtual groundbreaking Selfie Run is 6 am –  plenty of time for Mother’s Day celebrations and brunch afterwards!

Runners can sign up for free, and run anywhere at their own pace. The Selfie Run, which uses the all-new Wings for Life World Run app, is perfect if you want to train for the big day, set your own course, race at exactly the same time as everyone else worldwide and share the experience with real time results, right down to a virtual Catcher Car. Like all things, running is enjoying new trends to keep it fresh and exciting; this is just the next in a long line of unique races.

“The World Run is my way to help raise awareness and funds for this special cause, and the unique race format keeps my racing interesting too. The ultra-marathon distance on fast roads plays really well into my area of specialty right now as a runner,” Neff shares of his love for the WFLWR.

The Houston heat is here to stay so we asked Neff to share a few tips to keep your running game strong for the Selfie Run and all summer long:

Embrace the heat! High humidity and heat training have a physiological response similar to altitude. At altitude, your body makes more red blood cells to adapt to less oxygen; in heat, your body creates more blood volume (therefore, more red blood cells). So when the cooler weather comes around you have the performance advantage of carrying more oxygen.

Run with others to stay motivated. You will find someone running at Memorial Park at any hour of the day, even when it’s hot.

Scale back your pace and distance. Don’t expect the same performance as in cooler temps and don’t be unmotivated by how you feel. Running in the heat can have the same symptoms of being out of shape but don’t confuse the two.

Gatoritas. Blue Gatorade powder, ice, and water-blend. Ice slushy mixes are proven to be absorbed faster than room-temp or iced water, keeping you cool and hydrated. Use an insulated bottle or flask like the ones you can find from Nathan.

Dawn Patrol. This is a term given to weekend warriors trying to squeeze in adventures before work. It’s still going to be hot at 5 am but at least the sun won’t be beating down on you. We could all use a few more sunrises in our life too.

Cryotherapy. My indoor escape from the heat is the Chilled Cryospa in Katy. This full recovery spa has all the tools to keep your body happy including the cryo tank where you stand for 3 minutes at -220 degrees!

Listen to your body. No different than any other time of year but especially important in the heat. Some days you just don’t have it, don’t fight it. Your heart will thank you later. Pay attention especially if you notice you are not sweating or have chills.

Head inside. Yes, the dreadmill.

Travel. It’s a good time to get away!

Instructions for signing up for the selfie run:

Download the “Selfie Run” app on your iOS or Android mobile device App Store.

Connect with Facebook or create an account.

Sign up for the Selfie Run and set your location for May 8 in Houston.

Log on and run with the world at 6 am.

(Click here for video help to sign up)

This article originally ran on Culture Map. Click here to see the original piece.