Reflections…

Last year I wrote this blog post in the barre n9ne® November Newsletter.  Since I enjoyed writing it so much and many new clients have joined barre n9ne® since last November I thought I would re-share it again.  Enjoy.

Many of you know that from 2005-2008 I was a Patriots Cheerleader. The number one question I get is “Was that so much fun?”  Now obviously the calendar shoots, games, promotions, endless practices and the bittersweet trip to the Super Bowl in Arizona top my list as amazing times during these 3 years….but nothing compares to the experience I am about to share with you…

In 2006, my second year on the team I was selected along with 5 other women to represent our team and travel overseas to entertain the troops and boost morale for our annual Operations Seasons Greeting Tour (OSG as we like to call it!). Now let me share an inside detail with you….when you are a Patriots Cheerleader you hope and pray and cross your fingers that YOU are selected for this tour so you can IMAGINE the joy and excitement that rushed through my body when I received the call from my coach during work one day that I was one of the 6 invited to go on the OSG Tour. Think of the most amazing thing that could ever happen to you and multiply it by 1,000,000!

OSG is about 2 weeks long. We travel with the Air Force and leave before Thanksgiving and return around the 2nd of December. Because a two week tour could not possibly be summarized in this blog I will share you with you two eye opening experiences from this trip.

During the tour we traveled to Incirlik Turkey, Ramstein Germany, two bases in Iraq, one base in Afghanistan and one base in Quatar.  In a nutshell, one November day we departed Boston and landed in Georgia at the Air Force Base. Two hours later departed Georgia on a military plane for Turkey which would become our “home base” for the next 2 weeks.

Upon arriving in Incirlik we were greeted by our Chief who would be responsible for keeping us safe for the next two weeks…..what a huge responsibility!  We were given our agenda for the next two weeks in a very long briefing then shown to our rooms. From there the craziness began….tons of meet and greets, practices, performances, autograph signings, interviews, flights from here to there, more briefings, rules, secret locations disclosed to us minutes before landing….you name it, we did it. It was amazing.

On Thanksgiving we arrived in Iraq and were brought to the soccer field where Saddam executed the soccer team…this is where we were performing on Thanksgiving night….intense. When we got out of the plane we were quickly brought behind the stage into a “dressing room” where we got as dolled up as we could with the wind blowing tons and tons of sand around….I could literally scratch my head and pull out sand….and we were supposed to look “glamourous” Yeah Right.  When it was our turn to take the stage we took off our warm up suits and headed up the stairs IT WAS FREEZING! I kept thinking, ” I can’t believe my family is sitting around the dining room table right now having Thanksgiving dinner and I am in Iraq.”

At this point my heart dropped…….as I looked out into crowd, there weren’t just a few people waiting for us to perform…there were hundeds, maybe thousands of troops lined up for miles and miles into the darkness waiting for the performance we were about to give. I couldn’t believe it.

After we danced we were brought to a side table where we would take photos and autograph posters. All the troops we had just danced for lined up to meet us. We were there until about 3am signing. The line went on forever. We told our coach we didn’t want to leave until we met every last person. It was incredible. We met men, women, older, younger, married, single, kids, no kids, etc from all over the world.  Get this….each one thanking US for coming. I couldn’t believe it. These men and women, who are fighting for our freedom everyday, risking their lives, are thanking US for giving up our Thanksgiving with our families to visit them? It didn’t seem right. All you could hear down the table from our girls was “No, thank YOU for all that you do.” It was breathtaking.

During the signing I remember meeting an attractive young man who had a smile that could light up the room. He exchanged jokes with us, made us laugh, asked us where we were from, told us a little about himself, took a photo with us, received his signed poster and moved along. We smiled at each other. I figured I would never see him again.

A few days later while we were visiting a military hospital we were brought into a few rooms where the most critically wounded troops were. Guess who I am faced with…the same charming, once smiling young man I had met only a few days before however, now his whole life has been changed.

The short story is that he stepped on a landmine and lost both legs along with numerous other injuries. The tears started flowing as my teammate and I realized who he was. We squeezed his hand and each gave him a long hug. Although this selfless man could hardly speak, he thanked US for coming to see him and told us how much he enjoyed the show. I could not believe it.

Whew! Now if you are tearing up, I apologize. I know my blogs are typically motivating and uplifting and not tear jerkers!

At this time, as we approach the holidays I feel it is so important to give back, appreciate our freedom, appreciate our loved ones and be grateful for all that we have. As you spend your Thanksgiving with your family sitting around the long table with endless appetizers, foods, drinks and desserts, I encourage you to take a moment to think of those that are not spending Thanksgiving with their families because they are overseas risking their lives and fighting for our freedom.

For those of you whose son or daughter, husband or wife, boyfriend or girlfriend, brother or sister, aunt or uncle is overseas, my heart goes out to you.

Tanya

It’s Returnable!

I thought of this post as I was blowdrying my hair this morning, thinking “It’s raining again and I still don’t have rain boots!”

Now those of you who saw my string of posts on Facebook talking about the Hunters rain boots I bought on Gilt (for $73 each!) well I had to return them because they were too big.

So how does this relate to barre n9ne right®…? Because I know you really have better things to do than to worry about my rain boot issue

Well I was thinking about the 60 day challenge ladies who are finishing up TODAY and getting measured TONIGHT and also thinking about a conversation I had with a new client yesterday afternoon, AND thinking back to when I bought these two pairs of Hunters on Gilt and to justify it I told AJ “they are returnable”-I had an epiphany….

That body you don’t like, IT’S RETURNABLE! This is my new motto! Bring it to barre n9ne® and trade it in for a body you LOVE.

This is truly what these ladies did during their 60 day challenge! At the halfway mark let me remind you we had women losing 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 10 inches- in 30 days! Also weight loss of 3-11lbs! I mean if that isn’t remarkable I don’t know what is! They basically “traded in” or RETURNED their old body for a new one!

So if you hear me saying this a lot now you know why!

Start applying this saying to EVERYTHING- heck I do!

I bought some clothes this weekend and the first question I asked at the register is “what is your return policy?” Why am I obsessing over this {one might say} because life is too short to live it unhappy or unsatisfied. Your life is what you make of it. You are responsible for YOU. If you aren’t who is?

Do you think that celebrity you are spending time reading about in US Weekly is caring about what you are doing with your life? NO, not a chance- they don’t even know who you are BUT we seem to know everything that is going on in Jennifer Aniston’s love life or all the tiny details about Kim Kardashian’s wedding….Spend that time on YOU instead.

If you don’t like your body, do something about it (and I can help you!!!) if you don’t like those jeans you bought last week- return them and get a pair you LOVE! If you are not happy in your job, get your resume in order and start sending it out and networking!

Trade in that which you don’t love for that which you do love!

What are you going to “return” today?

P.S. 60 Challege Ladies: take those clothes that you will never fit into again because they are too big and DONATE them. Get them out of your closet. There is no going back- this is the new YOU. Congratulations.

30 day results….19 days late…oops! AND a wonderful client story

The last time I posted was right before we moved. I am happy to report that we finally feel settled in. This was a really difficult move. I don’t know if it’s because this time we have Jalen therefore we have way MORE “stuff” or if I was just not as organized as I have been in the past. Either way I feel relieved that it is finally over.

Moving on to what I am so excited to post about….and yes 19 days late might I add….The halfway point results of the current 60 Day Challenge! Here goes:

As of September 1^st 2011: 12 ladies…. 66 inches and 45lbs LOST!

Some of you may know that we had a friendly competition going on during the first 30 days. The person with the greatest number of inches lost would win a set of 4 blue dishes from Crate and Barrel! WHY BLUE? Blue makes you eat less :-) look it up!

The winner is Amanda H. She lost 10 inches and 11lbs!  Congratulations Amanda!

I am so proud of these women. Their determination and commitment to the barre n9ne® 60 day challenge has truly paid off. AND we are not even at the end yet! I can only imagine that we are going to be close to 90 inches lost on September 29^th!

Now for the best part…..I received this note in my email box from a participant in the 60 day challenge last week. With her permission I am sharing it with you. It is notes like these that remind me why I love my job so much. Enjoy.

Tanya,

So I knew I was excited when I lost a few inches and pounds, but I’m pretty excited that other people are noticing – so excited that I decided to write you a brief novel

Here’s a  quick background on how I came here:

In Summer 2006, I was a sophomore in college and really antsy. I had NO idea why I settled on Salem State and sticking around here. I was in a stale relationship, and decided it was time for a change. I applied to NYU as a visiting student, didn’t tell anyone, not even my parents or boyfriend, and then in 2007 I was off to live in New York City without knowing a soul. I consider that to be the year that I was in the best shape ever, but still somewhat unhealthy. I was going to the gym at school often, walking everywhere (in heels…in the winter…), and just exploring. I lost weight but I know part of that had to do with nerves, and it was my first time living on my own so I wasn’t eating very well (lots of oatmeal and tea, shoes came before nutrition!) Right before I left, I treated myself to a pair of size 27 Seven A-Pockets for $170. I LIVED in these jeans!

It all unfolded that as a visiting student, if I became a transfer student, I wasn’t eligible for financial aid and my whole degree would cost me over 75k for two years. So, I packed up my stuff, moved back home, broke up with my boyfriend, back to SSC with no friends after having the best time of my life. I started dating someone else, a relationship that lasted almost 3 years and was SO unhealthy, mentally, and food-wise. We literally used to sit in his basement and eat pints of Ben and Jerry’s, always ordered takeout, just gross. I would always get fro-yo, but still, I was sitting on my butt eating a lot of crappy food. I graduated, and my part time desk job turned into a full time desk job. And my hips got wider, butt got bigger…you know the drill!

I finally broke up with that guy in April 2010. What a mess it all was. My good friend from high school invited me to hang out with her running club friends after their usual Thursday night run. I started hanging out with them weekly, and they quickly turned into great friends. I was impressed by how active they all were – not just their running, but just always doing something outdoorsy. I started indoor rock climbing with them, and my friend had heard about barre n9ne® from a girl she worked with because we both wanted to take a winter class to keep us busy. I ended up coming to class one night and clearly, was hooked!

Fast forward to last night, it was my little brothers 20th birthday dinner. We’re really close, and two summers ago we went to the beach and he killed me when he said “whoa, you could tighten up your belly a little”. I wasn’t offended because we’re close, he wasn’t trying to be mean, and I had just always been thin and never worried about being in a bathing suit. Talk about motivation. I feel like I finally got it all together with this challenge…last night we went for a quick trip to dunks, I was driving, and when I grabbed the coffee from the drive through he was like “wow, look at that, no arm flab! And your belly doesn’t hang over your jeans!” I flexed my arm a little and he was impressed that I had a little bit of definition. PS, I had never lifted a single weight before barre n9ne®, I was always WAY too intimidated by them, so I always stuck to machines and the elliptical at the gym. Anyway, that felt awesome, to have someone who has known me my entire life say that my body has changed and it was noticeable.

My goal sheet that I filled out before the challenge said two things: to not have to tuck my belly in my jeans when I sit down, and to fit in my goal jeans. Since my brother pointed out the belly/jeans thing, I decided to give my goal jeans a shot. Well, I’m wearing those size 27 A Pockets at work today. They’re not quite perfect – I had a little muffin top when I put them on, but they button, zipper, I can sit in them, and you can’t see panty lines, so in my mind, they fit!

This has been an awesome year, I’ve tried so many new things, am very active, and in an awesome relationship. This challenge couldn’t have come at a better time – can’t wait to start the next one with my friend, who I met as part of the running club (that I still don’t run with, but that’s a whole ‘nother story!)

So yeah, thanks for all the support, the tweets, the assists in class…it’s all working out so well!

You are exactly where you are supposed to be. Love, Dove

Yes I ate a Dark Chocolate Raspberry Dove Promise at 10:45am….I couldn’t help it my co-worker put it on my desk…this is why I don’t go into the kitchen :-) I digress…

Honestly this “promise/fortune” couldn’t have come at a better time. I was thinking this morning after virtual barre what my next blog post would be about…A day in the life of Tanya? No, not yet An update on my 60 day challenge ladies? No, that will come after their measuring on 9/1. A fit tip or recipe? Don’t have any new ones right now so no. I was on the phone at WMG as I opened this promise and  a light bulb went off!

If you are friends with me on Facebook or attend regular classes at the studio you may have seen my posts or heard me talk about moving. Yup we are moving on 8/31 (or sooner!) Why? Our lease is up, our current place is way too small for this little boy named Jalen that I love so much, but the main reason is (drumroll) – we are planning to buy a home soon! How exciting….AND SCARY! Does this mean I am a real adult?! I guess so! I mean of course I am but this is a huge huge purchase- those of you homeowners can relate. Now of course we are not buying a house in the next 7 days so we are moving to a temporary apartment while we find something we LOVE.

This means we are leaving the city (sad face!)…..something I really don’t want to do. I love Boston, I love walking on the Charles River, I love walking down Newbury St. and looking at all the things I will buy someday, I love Osushi our regular sushi spot, I love Scoozi for sangria, Emack and Bolios for my espresso oreo soft serve on a hot day or Paramount on Charles Street for dinner. I love walking around Seaport which really has developed over the past 3 years. I love rainy days in the Prudential and Copley Mall window shopping. The list goes on and on and on.  Boston/East Cambridge has really become my home in the last 3 years since I moved there from the north shore and I am SO SAD to leave.

We have made the decision to move back to the north shore for the next 3-6 months so that we can save money and look for a place to call HOME. I have struggled with this decision since May when I began our search for a home to buy or a bigger place in the city to rent. We haven’t found anything yet and rentals in the city are just insane right now. I could own a mansion for the amount of money a 2 bedroom in town is renting for these days! It just makes sense for us to head up north while we continue our search.

Side Note: Something funny that those living in the city can relate to- we don’t have to pay for parking at our “new” apt…I haven’t not paid for a parking spot in 3 years, I forgot what that is like!!!

Anyways back to my Dove Promise…”You are exactly where you are supposed to be.” I really did need someone to confirm this for me- not just about our move but about life in general.

Is WMG where I really am supposed to be? I believe it is. My job has changed significantly since I have been back from maternity leave in April and I love it more than I ever have in 8 years with this company.

What about barre n9ne® studio? Now I know why they say that new businesses need to stick out the first 2-3 years before they see profit, growth and success. March 1, 2012 will complete 2 years in business- which also means renewing our lease at 9 Page St. I have gone back and forth about opening a bigger place or staying where we are for another year. I haven’t come to a firm conclusion just yet but I will say barre n9ne® is here to stay- whether that is at 9 Page Street or somewhere very closeby :-) that is thanks to all of you who have supported my dream and have allowed me to make it a reality.

Annnd the move….I have started to look on the bright side even though I will miss being a hop, skip and a jump away from Back Bay. Our new place is twice as big as our apartment now- this means having SPACE something we haven’t had in years! This also means Jalen will get his own room and he will have so much space to crawl around. He deserves this.

Another awesome plus is that we have a pool and gym on premises. I fully intend to enjoy the pool before it closes on Labor Day and AJ will love having the gym so closeby.

The best part is that we will have TIME to discover the perfect home for our little family.

So….take a step back. Take a deep breath. And ask yourself…” Are YOU exactly where you are supposed to be?” If the answer is yes after your analysis I am so happy for you.

If the answer is no, think of what you can do to change this. You are in control of your destiny. You are entitled to live your life the way you would like to live it. You have an obligation to be true to yourself, your goals, dreams, and passions and IF you are not exactly where you are supposed to be- change it. Change is hard, trust me I know. BUT change will allow you to live life on your terms…and if you need a pep talk grab me at the studio or send me an email. I’m here for you

Until next time…

tanya

P.S. These delicious Dove Promises top off at about 44 calories so INDULGE- even you challenge girls!  :-)

Living A Dream…

Today is just one of those awesome days. I woke up to my babbling, smiley little boy who turned 7 months today…or will be at 4:35pm to be exact :-) I taught virtual barre which was awesome. Work has actually been great today, very productive, no interruptions and some pretty fabulous brainstorming sessions, and to top it off I just received awesome news from TWO clients doing the barre n9ne® 60 day challenge….

I’m going to preface this with the fact that we are only 17 days in…yes 17 folks.

The first client I heard from today wrote ” I just got on the scale for the first time since starting this challenge and I have already lost 10lbs!” ISN’T THAT AWESOME!!!!!??? I am so happy for her. She also has give me little pieces of info along the way – such as “2 weeks ago I couldn’t even hold plank, last night I held it for 30 seconds! It’s amazing after 2 weeks I could be this much stronger. I love it.”  Or “I feel so much more accomplished now before I go to bed and it’s only been two days. It’s amazing what exercise and eating right can do for you in such a short time”.

The second client I heard from today wrote this: “I bought two skirts today online- one in my usual size, and one a size smaller, just in case. Looks like I am returning the usual size. Only 17 days into the challenge….just sayin.”

Call me crazy but you have NO IDEA how happy this makes me. When I opened this studio 1.5 years ago I was SO excited to share my passion and knowledge with the community. I love changing people’s bodies. I am obsessed with it :-) I think I am more excited for the 30 day mark (measuring) than these ladies doing the challenge! I can already predict that we are going to have total inches lost in the DOUBLE DIGITS!!!!!!

Thank you all for giving me the opportunity to live my dream and share my passion with you. I am grateful.

Client Story…

I love giving you fitness tips but I think sometimes a real client story or experience truly hits home.  I feel this story comes at the perfect time for a few reasons:

1. It’s beautiful out and we are approaching one of the best times in New England- FALL!

2. My lovely challenge girls are working SO hard to get in the cardio aspect of their challenge outside of studio classes.

3.  There are so many places around the North Shore to enjoy.

What am I talking about you ask? WALKING!

My challenge girls need to accomplish 10,000 steps per day for the next 60 days. That is equal to 5 miles. Now this is 10,000 steps TOTAL per day not before your day begins or after your work day ends- TOTAL STEPS! Your steps include walking from your car into work, walking from your desk to your co-workers desk, walking around the mall shopping (my favorite!), walking from your couch to your kitchen to get some yummy ciao bella coconut sorbet! You get the point

This is why you shouldn’t be afraid of the 10,000 steps/5 miles. It is all inclusive of your total steps in a whole entire day!

So onto my client story…

This lovely girl is 29 years old, is 5′ 6″ tall and has a 5 month old baby boy. Since her son was born she has been taking him for 2-3 walks per day-rain or shine! Sometimes by herself, sometimes with other moms and babies. Initially she started walking because it was the only way to get her son to fall asleep! (he is a very curious little boy and doesn’t want to miss out on anything the day has to offer!)  Now it has become a definite part of her life. I would say there isn’t a day she doesn’t walk. The most facsinating part of this story is this: She weighs 12lbs LESS than before she got pregnant!!!! She eats healthy, but she eats what she wants. She literally is the thinnest she has ever been in her adult life…ALL FROM WALKING! She has also gone down dress and pant sizes- She used to be a size 6-8 now she is a little smaller than a 4. I say that because 4′s are too big and 2′s are too small.

One other piece of info you should know. She definitely drinks at a minimum three to four 16oz bottles of water per day (a standard poland spring bottle size). This combined with walking has helped her to lose all her baby weight- and then some! DID YOU FORGET WHAT I SAID ABOVE- SHE WEIGHS 12lbs LESS THAN BEFORE SHE GOT PREGNANT!

Now I know you are all thinking, “if she is a client how many classes is she taking a week?”

Most business owners would lie here and say , “oh she is taking 4-5 classes per week.” Honestly….she has taken 11 regular classes since March 14th and she takes Mommy & Me barre class ONCE PER WEEK. I just checked my online system

Now everyone’s body is different but the point is that walking is without a doubt one of the most beneficial things you can do to lose weight and inches.

What else is great about walking?

-As I said before you can walk in the mall if you want some noise, people watching, and need/want to shop.

-You can walk outside on the Wakefield Lake or the Marblehead Neck for instance. Quiet, calm, tranquil, rejuvenating. A great place to clear your head.

-You can drive to Boston and walk Newbury & Boylston St. You can walk the Boston Commons, Fanueil Hall, Seaport, the Charles River, etc. I can tell you some great tips and tricks to parking in the city that will cost you $10 or less sshh!

If you need more ideas email me, tell me the town you live in and I will find places for you to walk! Also please feel free to give some suggestions in the comment box below!

This story is so inspiring to me because not only do I still have about 8lbs to lose to get down to my pre-baby weight but I also know that I definitely do not walk as much as I should. Most of the reason is because I sit behind a desk 9-5pm. However, as I’ve told my challenge girls- this isn’t an excuse. I have to make a lifestyle change- and so should you!

From this point forward I have decided I am going to aim to walk on my lunch break and walk at night with Jalen and AJ. I already have too much going on in the morning, it’s just not possible to fit it in. You need to figure out what works best for YOU.

Have a wonderful weekend

T.G.I.F

Hi all,

I know I have been MIA recently. So much is going on and unfortunately blogging was put to the back burner.

So much to tell you all! I love lists so I will plunge right in here:

1. The 60 day challenge is in full swing! I have 13 ladies ranging from about 24 years old to 50 years old taking this challenge! It is literally the BEST group of women! I have women who haven’t worked out in forever doing this challenge, women that are avid worker-outers, women who have only been to a few classes, new moms,  moms who currently work out but haven’t tried this method before, and moms who are experienced clients! Such a GREAT mix.  I am so excited for Sept 1st when we do the halfway point measure in! I know they are going to see results!

2. I am working with Hint Water to get samples for the studio in hopes of carrying it for purchase. If you have not tried Hint please do! We should have samples within a week for you lovely ladies!

3. I just heard from a virtual client today- she has lost 14.25 inches in ONE MONTH. Isn’t that AMAZING! She is doing virtual barre and cardio and she just measured today- 14.25 inches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so so so proud of her! If you haven’t tried virtual barre yet you totally should. I will admit I am NOT a morning person….and the first 3-5 minutes of class are tough but after that it is all totally worth it and I am wide awake!

4. Happy 1 Yr Anniversary to the fabulous Julianna Osburn! I am so lucky to have found Julianna to teach at barre n9ne®. If you haven’t tried one of her classes you definitely should soon!!!

Interestingly enough I sit here, brain going a mile a minute and I can’t think of all the other fabulous things I wanted to share with you. AHHH!

Let’s talk about something else exciting: barre n9ne® is officially registered! It took only a year to get to this point the process is so long! I have a million things in store such as a dvd launch. I have no idea how long this will take to accomplish but it has been a long term goal of mine. I have so many clients who travel for work and come to barre n9ne® when they are in town. They always say, ” Can you make me a dvd?” I would love to make a dvd, however being a perfectionist by nature I can’t bring myself to roll out a homemade dvd! I have thought about it but I just can’t do it! I need a professional looking one of course! I will keep you updated as this new project unfolds as I will be looking for dvd participants!

Moving on….sometimes don’t you feel super forgetful? I have been having a week like this…I have so much going and I try to juggle so many things that I end up forgetting silly little things. I realized last night that I actually can manage/juggle all these things but what is getting in the way of this is the fact that I am TIRED. Literally Just Plain Tired. I feel asleep at 9:59pm. Like OUT COLD FELL ASLEEP! Those of you that know me, know that I stay up until at least 11:30pm every night, no problem. It’s a good thing I did pass out. I needed my sleep. I have not been listening to my body and I have been in GO MODE.  Yesterday I taught my favorite class-Legs, and although I felt great after, I know I could have done better. It didn’t even hit me until this morning that I obviously need some rest! I am going to try to REST this weekend…I didn’t even know that word was in my vocabularly until now

My point of bringing this up is so that you listen to your body too. There is nothing worse than feeling absentminded and tired. Like your brain is tired, not just your body! I appreciate that we all lead busy lives but even a power nap helps! Take time for YOU.

Have a great weekend everyone,

Tanya

 

60 days, experienced. By Jessica Sutera

60 days…all done?

…not so fast. Sure, the official barre n9ne 60 day challenge is over in terms of how the challenge was defined at the outset.

But for me? The past 60 days has been nothing short of an experience. One that I’m actually having a hard time putting into words because I feel both utterly blessed to have experienced the challenge but also because it’s turned into more than “just* a 60-day challenge with a definitive start and end date – it’s become a journey. Not a destination.

So that’s how I’d sum up the challenge, for me, in a nutshell – a journey versus a destination. The hardest part for me is truly showcasing here just how profound an impact this challenge has had both on my life but also on my sister’s life (who I’m so lucky to have experienced this challenge with). I’ll try to do it justice here but just know this: It has been life-changing.

What I’ve learned:
Finding a style of fitness that you love and that works for your body? It’s like hitting the lottery. Barre n9ne – with it’s focus on small but effective moves, light weights with a boatload of repetitions, and lengthening with strengthening techniques works for me. It is the only style of exercise (when balanced with cardio) that has truly transformed my body. As I said in my own blog post last week, it’s as if someone took a paintbrush and gently brushed my body into a leaner, more refined me.

Discovering a healthy relationship with food has changed me. I’m not going to lie, I love food. I love the textures, the flavors, the variety, the experience. Going into this challenge, I knew that I probably loved food just a wee bit too much but it wasn’t until I started jotting it all down in a food log did I realize something: I know how to eat healthfully, but it was this challenge that taught me how to eat for fuel. Now don’t get me wrong, I still love to eat. I still love a good glass of wine (and trust me, plenty of wine was consumed during this challenge) but I appreciate it all much, much more. There is no more mindless eating. And these tweaks to my approach to food, coupled with barre n9ne classes and I have been more than ready to say goodbye to all ELEVEN inches I lost during this challenge.

Uncovering a newfound appreciation for my body is something I can never, ever repay barre n9ne (and Tanya!) for. This is the first time in my 31 years on this planet that I feel entirely comfortable in my own skin. I appreciate the strength in my legs (that can carry me through endless plies at that barre); the curve of my waist, the lean and mean arms that I can proudly say make it through the entire upper body work in barre n9ne method! I am stunned by the changes in my body I’ve seen, the refined “me” that has emerged through this challenge. And I am grateful.

The past 60 days has been nothing short of an experience, and one that is not ending just because we made it out on the other side of this challenge as “transformed” women. This challenge truly has no beginning or end – it is a journey. One that I’m so, so excited to see continue, not just for me, but for the next round of women who are ready to take the barre n9ne challenge on in August. I cannot wait to cheer them on, motivate them throughout, and see them each emerge. As refined, redefined, renewed. All thanks to the amazing group of women that make up the barre n9ne studio team. They are inspired, beautiful, strong, and kind. A group of women I feel blessed to call friends. So thank you Tanya. Thank you, Julianna. Thank you, Stefanie. You are fabulous.

Why the barre n9ne challenge changed my perspective. By Jolene Bonina

It might sound dramatic, but honestly, the barre n9ne challenge has changed my life in many ways, and most certainly, my perspective. You may be wondering how a workout could have that affect on me, but it has, and here’s why.

• I view food as fuel, not happiness. I never thought I had an emotional tie to food, but going into this challenge, I most certainly did. I thought sticking with my ‘number’ would be insanely difficult in the summer, especially, where there are cookouts abounding, drinks aflowing and goodies everywhere you look. But with Tanya’s guidance, I was able to navigate many cookouts and weddings too, sticking within my number (or as close as possible) without feeling deprived. This was one of my biggest a-ha moments and is why I plan to stick with this way of eating forever. It doesn’t end with the challenge. This is a lifestyle change (and yes, I was still able to fit in my beloved wine on weekends and not starve myself. It is possible!!)
• I’ll never go to a gym again. (except the dreadmill in the throes of winter). I’ve already canceled my gym membership, and will only open a new one (when I move next month) soley for the dreadmill in the winter. This is a huge departure for me. I have had a gym membership for as long as I can remember. I remember moving to Beverly almost 5 years ago and trying to ‘time’ when one membership would end and when the next would start, so I wouldn’t have a gap in memberships. I went to my boyfriend’s gym at his apartment today just to stay active while he did a weight workout. Damn, I was bored. There were no machines that interested me, nothing. I just wanted to do plies and maybe even some dreaded love to hate planks. barre n9ne is where I wanted to be. It is where I plan to be, 4-5 days a week, sticking with the best and hardest workouts I have ever done.
• I am starting to love, not hate, my body. Prior to the barre n9ne challenge, I was heading for a dark place, mentally, when it came to my body image. I tore myself apart. I hated how I looked and didn’t know if it was because I was comparing myself to others, or if I had actually gained weight. I didn’t want to admit that maybe I had, but looking back at pictures prior to the challenge and now, it is clear. I most certainly did gain a few, but beyond that, I was like a hamster spinning on a wheel. My workouts were not effective. I was not seeing results. Week one of barre n9ne? Results. Need I say more?
• I don’t miss spinning, lunges or squats. At all! When Tanya laid out our plan when we started the challenge, she requested that we do not do any other classes except hers (a very fair and valid request, given the goal was to do HER classes to see results) and do not do lunges or squats. She swore by her Legs class and as much as I was thrilled to start that class, I clung to lunges and squats at first. I panicked a little in my head, thinking that my legs wouldn’t see results without those two exercises (the ‘gym staple’). Damn, was I wrong. My legs have never looked better and I am amazed that I can even say that and believe it when I say it!

I could honestly go on and on, but I will leave you one piece of advice for those of you considering the challenge.

Immerse yourself.

Surrender to the challenge and live it, breathe it and commit to it. You won’t be dissapointed.

And, if there is any reason you are wavering against doing it, please, GO FOR IT, it will be worth every penny, every  bead of sweat, every minute of pain. (pain in a good way!). Trust me.

Tanya, thank you for giving my sister and me the challenge of a lifetime. I firmly believe you meet everyone for a reason and we met you at exactly the right time in our lives. I couldn’t be more thrilled to be part of the barre n9ne community, to have met you and Julianna and the other fabulous instructors, and to be what I believe is just the beginning of something huge.

The Results…

Jessica lost 11 inches total in 60 days.

Jolene lost 12.5 inches total in 60 days

Total… 23.5 inches!!!!

Just to give you a quick play by play of Thursday evenings Results Meeting…

5pm arrival- I feel like it took forever to get to 5pm. I texted the girls at 4:45pm and wrote “15 minutes!” The anticipation was killing me!

5:05pm- pictures. no miserable stances this time around. These girls stood tall and proud!

5:10pm. The measuring began…I filled in my chart as the girls measured each other.

5:15pm. The calculation. I added and subtracted about 10 times to be sure what I was seeing what right.

5:20pm. We moved to the back room so I could announce their inches lost and face the scale (for fun!) as clients arrived.

5:22pm. The announcement!  Could it really be?? 11 and 12.5 inches???? HOW AWESOME. I think I was in utter shock. I am not usually speechless. This girl did not know what to say. I think I just kept staring at the paper.

5:24pm. Weigh-in. No more about this right now More to come later

5:26pm. Still in shock. Chatting, smiling, chatting, smiling.

5:30pm. Long & Lean Legs began….I was grinning from ear to ear. I just wanted to scream out 23.5 INCHES!!!!!!!!! I knew the girls wanted to keep their number a secret until they could go home and write their blog post for the next day….After bugging them a few times they said I could tell. I then decided “maybe we should wait..”

That lasted about 3 minutes. After our first series of glute work I said “Let’s have a guessing game.”

Clients started throwing out numbers (guessing total inches lost). 16, 18, 20..? “NOPE HIGHER” I said.

21? 24?

“Close” I responded

There was a short pause…

“23.5″. I replied.

“NO WAY”, “WOW”, “That’s like 12 inches each!” were some of the remarks I heard.

It was awesome….I am getting chills and maybe even watery eyes reliving this moment.

I can’t wait for the girls to write their experiences on this barre n9ne™ blog so you can hear in depth the transformation from their eyes and hearts.

It was funny, the other night we had a phone meeting, Jess, Jo and I. I was delirious from such a long exhausting week of teaching and working and taking care of my little munchkin (side note, Julianna come back we miss you! I miss you!).  We were talking about the next phase…..because have no illusion- this ‘challenge’ is done but this isn’t the last of Jessica and Jolene. They are obviously continuing this new lifestyle. They are still taking the same number of classes per week. They are helping immensely with the 60 Day Challenge I am launching for my clients. The list goes on….Anyways we were chatting about them writing up their ‘testimonial’ and experience for the barre n9ne™ blog. One of them asked if I wanted to tell them what to write about or maybe a better way to put it would be what direction to go with their write up. I said “Nope, I don’t want to influence it at all.”

It is so important to me that you know this……What you read from them has absolutely no influence from me at all. You will read their candid feelings and thoughts surrounding their experience in the barre n9ne™ 60 day challenge. I want you the reader to feel what they felt going through this. I also think it will give those considering the 8/1 start date a guide to what you will endure. It isn’t easy but it’s totally worth it. AND having a support system of other ladies is sure going to be helpful.

I am so excited for those who already committed to starting the next challenge. I am so excited for Jess and Jo who I know are still on cloud 9 and have a right to be!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

~t